When I was in high school, my friends and I would often go to the movie theater on weekends and would make plans over group chat for what to watch next. I remember messaging the group chat from my phone while simultaneously using my computer to figure out how I would watch different movies with low vision and photophobia/photosensitivity, and my strong desire to be perceived as a “normal” teenager that goes to movies with their friends, not as someone with low vision that would be excluded from social events. Here is a list of tips and strategies for going to movie theaters with low vision that I would use when watching movies with friends.
Research content warnings and movie guides in advance
In addition to low vision, I have a neurological condition that is affected by bright, flashing, and/or strobing lights, and also experience visual fatigue when staring at a screen for long periods of time. Something that I find tremendously helpful when planning to go to the movie theater is the availability of online content warnings, trigger warnings, and movie guides that can provide key information about a film and support me in the deciding whether I want to watch it in the theater or wait until later. Examples of popular guides include:
- Does The Dog Die?: Offers information about hundreds of potential triggers, including “Are there flashing lights or images?”
- RunPee: Assists with planning bathroom breaks during a movie, which can also be helpful when planning vision breaks.
- Symbols or labels on movie listings that indicate flashing content
Since the release of Incredibles 2 in 2018, it has become much easier to find information about flashing lights, strobe lights, or similar content warnings online, either through crowdsourced photosensitivity warnings or guides targeted at viewers with epilepsy, photosensitivity, or with aversions to strobe lights/flashing lights (which is something I helped to advocate for!). Some films will provide descriptions of scenes or transcripts of dialogue that take place before/after flashing or strobe lights begin, while others provide a more generic warning that there are flashing lights/strobe lights throughout a film.
Related links
- Does The Dog Die? Trigger warning database
- RunPee website
- The Real Villain In Incredibles 2: Strobe Lights (NO SPOILERS)
- How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights
- Activity Ideas For Vision Breaks
Request an assistive listening device or audio description
Audio description, sometimes referred to as descriptive audio or described video, is an additional narrator track that provides visual information for people who otherwise would not be able to see it. At movie theaters, audio description is pre-recorded by a professional narrator or synthesized voice and is synchronized with the movie, playing descriptions during natural pauses in dialogue. Individuals listen to audio description via headphones connected to an assistive listening device (ALD), which is about the size of a cell phone and offers options for adjusting the volume. Some devices will play both the audio description track and movie audio simultaneously through headphones, while others only play the audio description track.
ALDs and audio description can be requested at the ticket window or at guest services, available at no additional cost. However, individuals may be required to leave their name, address, identification card, or other collateral to ensure that the ALD is returned after the movie is over. Charging extra fees for the use of an assistive listening device violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title III, Section VI.
Related links
- Fast Facts About Audio Description
- 8 Myths About Audio Description
- Streaming Audio Description For Performing Arts Videos
- How To Use Audio Description at Disney Parks
- Tips For Passing Time On Flights With Low Vision
Read the film synopsis in advance (if spoilers are not an issue)
One of my more controversial strategies for going to the movies with low vision is to read the entire film synopsis in advance, which makes it easier for me to follow along with what is happening on the screen and avoid asking a bunch of questions. Spoilers don’t bother me, and reading the synopsis in advance actually makes it easier for me to identify areas where strobe or flashing lights may be an issue (e.g. camera flashes, thunderstorms), as well as decrease the cognitive load of trying to figure out what is happening on the screen while also following along with the plot.
Related links
- Meet The Cast: Supporting Literacy For Students With CVI
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
Consider using sensory-friendly items
Movie theaters can be overwhelming from a sensory perspective, and some people may find themselves more sensitive to loud noises, bright lights, or other environmental factors when sitting in a dark, crowded space. Some larger movie theater chains have started offering sensory kits upon request, or individuals can bring their own sensory kit or items that can help them to manage sensory needs or sensitivities. Examples of sensory-friendly items include (but are not limited to):
- Earplugs or headphones, especially those designed for concerts or live music.
- Fidgets or handheld items
- Weighted lap pad
- Sunglasses or tinted glasses, including epilepsy glasses
- Wearable fan
Another option is to search for sensory-friendly movie screenings, which often have lower noise levels, increased lighting, and the option to move around or talk while watching a film. These are typically offered during the day, which can also be beneficial for people that experience visual fatigue or cognitive fatigue later in the day.
Movie theater glasses and low vision
While individuals with low vision or light sensitivity may not need to buy special glasses for going to the movie theater with low vision, there are a few options for specialty glasses that can make it easier or more comfortable to watch movies. These can include:
- Tinted glasses or sunglasses for reducing intensity of bright lights
- Strobe-canceling glasses (sometimes marketed as epilepsy glasses), a specific type of tinted glasses.
- Wearable magnifiers or distance viewing glasses that can make it easier to see faraway objects.
I have not personally used strobe-canceling glasses or epilepsy glasses, but I have seen them offered by different theaters free of charge online. Designed to minimize the intensity of strobe or flashing lights, epilepsy glasses have specially designed blue lenses or other colored lenses to help with managing photosensitivity and/or photophobia.
Related links
- How Tinted Glasses Help My Light Sensitivity
- Avoiding Flashing Lights On Social Media
- Smartphone Accessibility Settings For Photosensitivity
Choosing a seat at the movie theater
I have received many questions from family members of people with visual impairments over the years about choosing the “best” place for someone with low vision to sit at a movie theater, and my answer is always “it depends.” Visual impairment is a spectrum, not a binary, and there are many different factors that can influence how they view screens or other information at a distance. Here are some answers that my friends with visual impairments gave when I asked them about where they sit at movie theaters:
- “I have visual field neglect on one side, so I find it easier to sit on the edge of a row so that my bad eye is facing the wall.”
- ”I bring TV glasses with me so I can see the screen more easily no matter where I am sitting.”
- ”My vision is best described as tunnel vision, so sitting in the center helps me see most of the action. I prefer to sit in the back so that I can ‘fit’ the screen in my central vision.”
- ”I have no usable vision, but I prefer to sit further back to avoid having the speakers blasting in my ears.”
- “Sitting in the third or fourth row makes it easier for me to make out visual details. Sitting in the front row makes it harder to look up and see what is happening.”
- ”My vision changes a lot, so I just sit wherever my friends sit and don’t worry about not being able to see the screen.”
A lot of movie theaters now offer options for saving seats in advance, which can make it easier to choose where to sit. If seating options appear ambiguous, one helpful strategy is to search for a picture of the empty movie theater online to figure out where different seats are located within the theater.
Related links
Discounted movie theater tickets for visually impaired
Most movie theaters do not offer free or discounted movie tickets for people with visual impairments, though some chains like Regal offer discounts or free admission for a companion/care attendant of a person with a disability who cannot otherwise go to a movie theater on their own. When my friend and I went to the movies, my friend received a “disability companion pass” that gave them free admission since they were assisting me with navigating the theater (and avoiding flashing lights), while my ticket was the regular price. My friend had asked at the counter if there was a discount for buying movie tickets since I used a white cane, and they were offered this option— I didn’t know about this as I had been sent to another window to request an assistive listening device while my friend paid for tickets. We did not sit in the accessible seating area designed for wheelchair users, but did get to the theater early so we could figure out where to sit.
There is a limit of one companion ticket per person, and will need to be requested in-person at the ticket window. Again, this program is intended for people who would not otherwise be able to go to the movie theater by themselves due to disability and that travel with an assistant, care attendant, or human guide.
More tips for going to movie theaters with low vision
- Sometimes a friend or family member will watch a movie in advance to figure out if it is safe for me to watch, using strategies from How To Check Videos For Flashing Lights as a guide.
- Looking for tips on how to watch movies outside of a theater? Read How I Watch Concert Videos Without Strobe Lights and How To Make Classroom Videos Easier To See
- Interested in going to a live theater event? I share more tips in All About Audio Description For Broadway Plays and Performing Arts Centers and Low Vision: College O&M
Published March 6, 2017. Updated March 2025