One of the reasons I started Veroniiiica (Veronica With Four Eyes) is to share resources I’ve created for adapting to newly acquired vision loss or changes to visual impairment over time. Living with low vision that has changed over the years, I have found that the “best advice” I can give to someone revolves around learning about how they can use existing technologies to manage low vision and the importance of education and learning about what is available to them. Here are seven tips for adapting to newly acquired vision loss in general, from someone with low vision that is also an assistive technology specialist.
Remember: Visual impairment is a spectrum, not a binary
Visual impairment is not a binary where someone either can see everything or nothing at all; many people may still have some light perception or may not be able to use the vision they do have effectively. Visual impairment can affect individuals in many different ways, and what is considered accessible by one person may not be accessible to another. I hold the personal and professional belief that visual impairment and vision loss is more than just conversations about acuity or clinical tests, and that an individual is an expert on their own vision loss and how it impacts them. What’s important is to know there is no “wrong way” to be visually impaired, and that the spectrum of visual impairment provides options for people to share a variety of perspectives.
With that in mind, it’s not always helpful to compare one individual’s vision loss to someone else’s, even if they have the same condition, live in the same area, and/or are the same age. Vision loss can impact individuals in so many different ways, and it can be frustrating to be compared to someone else or asked why they aren’t more like them. Most real-world environments and objects don’t resemble eye charts or tests in doctor’s offices, so that is why I advocate so much for people to really think about how they access information and find ways to make things easier to see.
Related links
- Questions To Ask Other Students With Low Vision
- Two of Everything: Living With Double Vision
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Ten Lessons My TVI Taught Me
Become familiar with common assistive technology terms
It’s hard for someone to know what to ask for when they aren’t sure what is available. If you asked me to define what assistive technology for visual impairment was when I first started experiencing vision declines, my answer probably would have included something like “that’s for people who are blinder than me” or “I can read things as long as I really strain my eyes, so I don’t need that.” Straining is not seeing, and knowing what types of assistive technology are available can go a long way with improving information access. Check out my posts below to learn more!
Related links
- A to Z of Assistive Technology For Low Vision
- A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- Computer Lab Accommodations For Low Vision Students
- Five Myths About Assistive Technology
- Low Vision Accommodations For Print Materials From My Low Vision IEP
- My Talk At A Future Date: What I Wish I Learned About AT Before Starting College
- Why I Study Assistive Technology
Adapt familiar technology and devices for vision loss
A lot of people believe that someone who is blind or that has low vision has to use speciality assistive technology or devices to access information. While specialty technology is cool and all, there are so many accessibility features that are built into mainstream devices like smartphones, computers, tablets, and so much more. For example, I read books on a Nook eReader, use large print settings on my Android phone and iPad, and work with Microsoft applications every day to put together documents. I strongly recommend checking out accessibility menus on favorite or familiar devices to learn more about what is available.
Related links
- How To Make iPad Accessible for Low Vision
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Android Phones
- Low Vision Accessibility Settings For Windows 10 and Windows 11
- iPhone Accessibility Settings For Occipital Stroke
- Smartphone Accessibility Settings For Photosensitivity
- Customize Accessibility Settings For Specific Apps
- Enabling Temporary Accessibility Settings For iPad
- Mainstream Technology and Low Vision: eReaders
- Secret Microsoft Office Accessibility Features I Use Every Day
If needed, change how items and spaces are organized
When I personally walk into a room with low vision, I notice that colors seem to blend in together and that it can be challenging to locate objects of interest if they aren’t stored in a way that I can see them. As my vision has changed, so has my way of organizing items in different environments, which can include details like:
- Having high-contrast phone cases and cords that don’t match other surfaces I frequently use— white phone and white duvet cover aren’t a great combination!
- Hanging items like jewelry so they are within my line of sight
- Storing items in a consistent location
- Switching to high-contrast items such as pens, coasters, and other items that pop against common surfaces
- Adding large print labels to items or using labeling tools
- Arranging furniture in a way so I am less likely to run into it
- Using wall art and other visual landmarks to help orient me to different spaces.
Related links
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- How I Decorate My Dorm Room With Low Vision
- Dorm Room Disability Hacks For Chronically Ill Students
- How To Organize and Identify Cords For Low Vision
- Assistive Technology and Dressing Aids For Low Vision
- Low Vision Assistive Technology For The Bathroom
- How I Set Up My College Desk With Low Vision
- Adapting Keys For Visual Impairment
- Organizing Jewelry With Vision Loss
- Choosing A Backpack With Low Vision
Download applications that can help with accessing information
There are tons of web applications and mobile applications for using assistive technology, many of which are free or low-cost. In addition to using built-in features for mainstream devices, the following types of apps have been helpful for accessing visual information or making things easier to see:
- Visual assistance apps that use the phone camera to tell people what is in their surrounding area
- Image recognition tools that can describe pictures or read text.
- Third-party applications for large print keyboards and large print displays.
- Magnification apps for reading environmental text
- Text-to-speech for reading text without a screen reader
- Simplified reading displays that remove non-essential pictures and text formatting, displaying text in a consistent font size
- Apps for accessing information for hobbies or topics of interest— I linked an example below for accessing information about MLB baseball games that was originally created for a family member
While my website name “Veronica With Four Eyes” is a pun about me wearing glasses, I use my phone as a “second set of eyes” multiple times a day— it’s a great way to provide context and clarification about what I am looking at!
Related links
- All About Visual Assistance Apps For Visually Impaired
- iOS Magnifier and Low Vision Accessibility
- Recognizing Images With Seeing AI
- Make Any Android Smartphone More Accessible For $20
- How To Use Select to Speak on Android
- Simplified Reading Displays and Low Vision
- How I Use Google Lens With Low Vision
- Veronica With Four Eyes app tag
- Watching MLB Baseball Games With Low Vision
- How I Use My Phone As Assistive Technology In Class
Don’t try to learn everything all at once
It’s common to feel frustrated over not being able to use a certain technology or to complete a specific task, and one of the main pieces of advice I have for people who are new to the world of vision loss is to be patient and not try to learn everything at the same time. While it is helpful to have a basic understanding of lots of different tools, it is unrealistic to try and learn how to use all of them simultaneously.
To help ease into learning assistive technology and accessibility strategies, I recommend choosing one task or tool and learning several different ways it can be completed or used. Some examples could include:
- Learning to bake with assistive technology or browsing recipes.
- Browsing a favorite blog or website with text-to-speech or other reading tools to learn more about personal technology preferences.
- Reading eBooks from the library
- Learning to browse social media applications— one of my friends was especially interested in Instagram and maintaining their existing Instagram account for example.
- Playing an instrument with large print music and trying out different ways of displaying music.
Related links
- Tips For Improving Confidence About Using Assistive Technology
- Dealing With Anxiety About Accommodations
- How To Use Text-To-Speech With Low Vision
- Baking Banana Bread With Assistive Technology
- Learning Clarinet With Low Vision
- How To Make Your Instagram Feed Accessible For Visual Impairment
- Choosing Between Light Mode and Dark Mode For Low Vision
- Ten Information Technology Skills Every College Student Needs
- Tips And Advice For New Accessibility Advocates
Apply for school or workplace accommodations as soon as possible
Whether people are experiencing short-term or long-term vision loss, it’s helpful to apply for school or workplace accommodations as soon as possible, as it is much better to be proactive about getting services instead of being reactive and trying to figure out what services are needed after there is already a problem. It’s also worth noting that accommodations aren’t set in stone and can be adjusted as vision changes over time— for example, my accommodations from high school versus college were drastically different as my vision changed and I became better at self-advocacy and figuring out what I would need in the classroom.
For people who have long-term vision loss that need to learn how to do different tasks related to their job or independent living, vocational rehabilitation services can be an incredibly helpful resource, as they provide training and educational resources related to going to school and gaining meaningful employment. Many states have their own programs, so I recommend running a web search for vocational rehabilitation programs available in different regions.
Related links
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- Ways To Practice Self-Advocacy In The Virtual Classroom
- Why You Should Get A Disability Services File
- How To Create A Disability Services File
- Learning to Self-Advocate
- Vocational Rehabilitation for College Students
- Services Provided By State Department/State Unit for Visual Impairment
Focus on usable vision
When adjusting to newly acquired vision loss, one of the most important things a person can do is focus on their usable vision and understand what they can see, instead of thinking about what they can’t. This is especially important for older people who are experiencing vision changes, as they are at a higher risk of depression and isolation related to vision loss, but it is important for people of all ages to be able to explain what they see in a brief and easy-to-understand way. It’s not enough to be able to just name a diagnosis, as many eye conditions can affect people in drastically different ways, or interact with each other to cause unpredictable vision loss. I have an entire post about developing explanations for usable vision linked below.
Related links
- Learning To Explain Usable Vision
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- Ten “Odd” Things I Do With Double Vision
- Addressing The Trauma Of Sight Loss
- Dealing With Paparazzi/Unwanted Attention: College O&M
- How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Glasses
- How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Eyes
- Veronica’s Four Eyes: All About My Glasses For Low Vision
More resources on adapting to newly acquired vision loss
- This post is a very basic introduction to living with low vision— I have hundreds of posts about the topic here on Veronica With Four Eyes! Check out my Post Categories page for more resources.
- Because my vision loss cannot be fully corrected by glasses, I see a low vision ophthalmologist/low vision specialist for ongoing eye care. Many of my doctors over the years have specialized in double vision specifically since that is a major part of my vision loss.
- Wondering why your vision is different from day to day or hour to hour? This post might help— Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- My vision loss is influenced by both an eye condition and a brain condition. I talk more about this in How I Explain My Brain With Chiari Malformation and on the page About Veroniiiica
Published June 2, 2020. Updated February 2025