In this article, I am going to list down alternatives to Esight glasses with all their features and how they help people with low vision experience life to the fullest.
IrisVision
IrisVision is a low vision aid that helps with various eye sight conditions ranging from macular degeneration, optic nerve damage and other low vision disabilities.
It is an amalgamation of Samsung’s Gear VR headset with a powerful smartphone having a camera of 12 mp.
How it helps?
IrisVision is a sight enhancing device. It enhances the lost, out of focus or blurry details of the world and allows you to see the world clearly. For millions of people effected by low vision disabilities, this means bringing the once blurry, lost details of life back into focus.
IrisVision not only helps read better but it also helps in recognizing faces, seeing clearly, adjusting to different light conditions and more.
Easy to use controls allow you to adjust the magnification bubble for optimum viewing with just the perfect balance of background view for context, completely avoiding the telescopic view.
Available at an affordable price of $2500 – Order Now
Features:
Widest Fov (Field of view): IrisVision has the highest FOV in all low vision devices, to date. A field of view is the angle of observable view from the device. The higher the angle, the better and wider you get to see the world.
Compared to eSight, which has an Fov of 37.9 degrees, irisVision has an FOV of 70 degrees.
Bubble View: Bubble view is a special IrisVision feature that allows the user to magnify a certain part of their vision. It is particularly helpful for people effected with blind or blur spots in their vision. The magnified bubble can be adjusted by size and shape. This is also called the bi-optic view. The best thing about this feature is that it keeps the rest of the world in context as well and does not give a ‘telescopic’ view where you loose the rest of the scene and only see the magnified part.
Remote Support: An added Bluetooth controller gives another option to interact with the device besides using the touchpad on the headset.
Always hands- free: No added controllers or wires or battery packs that would keep your hands busy.
Clinical Settings: IrisVision gives you complete control on various parts of your sight restoration experience by the “Clinical Adjustments” settings. This feature was created in collaboration with experts at the Johns Hopkins hospitals and is very accurate and precise in helping people with low vision.
Black & white Reading Mode: This feature allows the user to invert text to white letters on a black background providing an alternative reading mode that many people find helpful in reading.
Outdoor Use: Can be easily used in any environment condition, inside or outside, without any discomfort of a “too bright” or “too dark” view. The ambient light levels and contrast settings help adjust how you view the world through IrisVision to any desired setting.
Reviews: “These glasses have really changed my life. Not only I can see better, but I can read a book. My grandson plays football, lacrosse and basketball. People would say “There he goes. He made a touchdown”. But I couldn’t see him. Now I can enjoy his games.”
— Lannie Dennis, 67, Optic Nerve Damage
“The IrisVision has been a rebirth of my sight. It would be the equivalent of giving a person who could not walk a wheelchair or a person who could not hear a hearing aid. It has allowed me to see my loved ones’ faces which I have not seen in 17 years! “
— Lou Tompkins, 68, Macular Degeneration
“IrisVision has been a huge impact on my life as a visually impaired person and has been able to help my quality of life unlike any other piece of technology I use. It has revolutionized my experiences at professional baseball games and has impacted traveling and sightseeing.”
Davinci Pro
DaVinci is a high performance desktop video magnifier device. It comes with a CCTV monitor an adjustable camera and a controller.
Davinci Pro is Ideal for reading texts and performing tasks that require an up close view.You can view crystal clear images in vibrant color and contrast with the Davinci Pro’s Full HD 1080p Sony® camera. With a high resolution LCD screen you get the maximum picture detail for a clear, bold display. The DaVinci Pro also offers a large field of view allowing you to see more on the screen.
The full page OCR (Optical character recognition) allows you to easily read your favorite article or book aloud in a male or female voice and that too in many different languages.
How it helps?
Simply connect and assemble all device parts i-e The CCTV, Camera mounted on top and the controller, and you can begin using Davinci Pro.
Place any written material in front of the camera and you can view it on the screen. The magnifier dial lets you adjust how big or small of a view you need to be able to read clearly.
DaVinci Pro’s 3-in-1 Full HD camera allows you to see near, far and also a mirror image of yourself. You can easily it for applying make-up, shaving, reading, writing, viewing presentations and whiteboards and so much more! The DaVinci Pro’s sleek design makes it a perfect addition for work, home or school.
Experience the joy of reading with DaVinci Pro as it also reads any printed text aloud with the push of a button.
Available for a Price: $ 5,009.40 – Order Now
Features:
- Sony® HD camera
- 24” high resolution HD LCD for best image quality
- Auto focus camera for self-viewing, reading or distance viewing (3-in-1 camera)
- Text-to-Speech (OCR) – reads aloud with Nuance® software
- Magnification up to 77x
- Easy-to-use console with line markers
- Reading zone preview with motion detection
- User-friendly menu
- 28 viewing modes to optimize contrast and brightness
- Slide mechanism provides flexibility for various camera arm positions
- LCD screen pivots on various vertical positions
- True mirror image in self-viewing mode
- Memory setting for each camera position
- DaVinci’s monitor can also be utilized as a display for your computer
- Connects to iPad ® (additional cables required)
- Plug and play set up
Jordy
Jordy is a battery-operated, full-color portable system that can be worn like a pair of glasses to see near, far, and everything in between. With a sleek and lightweight design, Jordy glasses are a great low vision solution which you can use to see a more clear world.
How it helps?
The HD camera, which is mounted on top of the Jordy glasses, captures and projects images on two little displays inside the glasses, right infront of your eyes. You get to see clear and crisp images of the real world with great colors as well.
You can control what you see and how you see it by easy to use buttons on the controller.
Features
- HD autofocus camera for distance, intermediate & near viewing
- Adjustable magnification
- Color Select, Locator, Freeze & Focus Lock functions
- Dual display with wide field of view
- 5-level brightness control
- Adjustable top strap and nose piece for optimum comfort
- Glare reduction eyecup shield
- Lens holder for your prescription
- Headset weight: 8 oz
- Control unit with built-in rechargeable 4 or 8 hour battery
- HDMI input for TV viewing with brightness and volume control
Available at an affordable price of $3,695.00 – Order Now
Reviews: “Jordy makes my life easier. It helps me do everyday things like read my books, use the computer and pay my bills. It also allows me to see my family, watch TV, play cards and enjoy so many other things I thought were lost to me. It is simply amazing.”
NuEyes
NuEyes are hands free electronic smart glasses for visually impaired people. They are a lightweight, wireless and voice activated wearable device that help people with visual impairments to connect with loved ones and others by eliminating the need of wearing big clunky machines.
Part of a wearable technology, NuEyes feature ODG (Osterhout Design Group) Smart glasses that bring the future to you in a small, compact yet powerful head worn device.
How it helps?
These glasses basically give you a clear view of the real world. Just wear them, like you would a normal pair of glasses, and you are ready to see a clear and fuller world.
What really sets these smart glasses apart is the voice activation feature, leaving you completely hands free. You can input certain voice commands and enlarge your view or change the color and so.
Price:
Nueyes Easy $5,995 USD – Order Now
NuEyes Pro $ 6195 USD – Order Now
Features:
- Variable magnification from 1x – 12x
- Various contrast and color settings
- Voice activated
- Wireless
- Lightweight design
- 2 Year warranty
- Text-to-speech (OCR)
- Stream TV and movies to the smart glasses
Reviews:
— WAYNE HEIDLE
“Thats the first time iv been able to read the street again. It takes the world and puts it right in front of you. It’s a whole different world”
NuEyes low vision glasses that allow the visually impaired to have increased vision. A video demonstration shows NuEyes low vision glasses, a device that is worn like a pair of glasses that allows magnification, high contrast, speech recognition, and wireless use.
Aira
Using augmented reality, Aira connects people who are blind or have low vision to a trained and a professional agent who is dedicated to further enhancing their everyday experience providing completely hands-free assistance with the touch of a button.
How does Aira help?
Using either the Aira mobile app or wearable technology (or both!), You can connect to a trained professional agent who offers immediate assistance (virtually) and you get to do this with a simple tap of a button or a voice command.
In one line, Aira is a stylish visual interpreter tool for the blind.
Multiple Monthly Price Plan Options
$89 – 100 minutes
$129 – 200 minutes
$199 – 400 minutes
$329 – unlimited minutes
Features:
- One-touch assistance
- Access to trained visual interpreters from 4 AM – 10 PM PT.
- Video streaming
- Available on iOS® or Android® phone or Aira Smart Glasses
- GPS
- Tracking for both indoor and outdoor use
- Photo management