Reading MachineS

Low Vision Viewers – aka “Reading Machines”

Are you one of the more than 3 million American adults over the age of 40 that The National Eye Institute estimates has vision loss? This condition can be the result of eye disease or medical conditions including:

  • Macular degeneration
  • Retinitis Pigmentosa
  • Diabetic retinopathy
  • Cataracts
  • Glaucoma
  • Refractive Errors

One reading aid that often can help people with any of these conditions is the use of a Low Vision Viewer machine to assist with the following:

  • Reading books and newspapers
  • Reading recipes and calendars
  • Reading labels on small objects or medicine bottles
  • Viewing pictures
  • Viewing images on your phone or tablet
  • Writing letters and checks
 

These machines are also called CCTVs (Closed Circuit TV) or Electronic Video Magnifiers.  They are easy to use tabletop devices display a magnified image of the material to be read onto a monitor with an adjustable magnification range of from 3 times to 60 times.  Depending on how the reader’s vision is affected, they might also benefit from one of the optional viewing modes.  These modes range from full color, reading mode with high contrast black and white, reverse reading mode with white letters on a black background to a contrast color mode like blue foreground and yellow background.

The Elburn Lions Club has placed our machines at the Elburn Town & Country Public Library, The Meadows Apartments for Seniors in their library and at homes across the Kaneland area.