When I experienced a significant vision decline in high school, one of the most common questions from my teachers, case manager, and teacher of the visually impaired (TVI/TSVI) was “so what can you see?” I was the only student identified with low vision at my school and my vision loss was influenced by both an eye condition and a brain condition, which made it challenging for others to figure out what my residual vision/usable vision looked like or how I accessed visual information, especially since my vision would often fluctuate due to fatigue or other environmental factors.
After struggling to describe my vision using words alone, I started editing pictures of The Beatles using the PicsArt app on my iPad to simulate how double vision impacts how I see information presented at a distance, and shared it with my TVI. They said that these images were super helpful, and asked me to create more that would show different aspects of my vision, so I edited different materials like lyrics sheets, posters, photos, and other Beatles memorabilia I found online to describe different elements of my usable vision. Here is a list of strategies for how to use PicsArt to simulate low vision and visual impairment, and tips for editing photos to show examples of residual vision/usable vision.
Photo editing with low vision: PicsArt and Canva
I frequently use the PicsArt app for iPad to create low vision simulation images because it is free and I find it easier to position the iPad touchscreen under the lined bifocal in my glasses compared to a desktop computer. Since I have been using the app for so long, I primarily rely on motor memory to find the buttons I need, or use tools like Zoom Magnifier to enlarge buttons as needed. PicsArt does not require an account, but there are some ads at the bottom of the editor that can be hidden by turning off WiFi.
For users that are looking for a photo editing tool that supports keyboard shortcuts and can be accessed in a web browser, I have also used the Canva web application for creating low vision simulation images. Canva is also free, though I use Canva Premium features for many of the low vision images I create so that I can better control the resolution. I use Canva for almost all of my website graphics and graphic design projects in college, and many of the instructions in this post can be used interchangeably with Canva and PicsArt.
Related links
- Picsart AI Photo Editor on the App Store (apple.com)
- Picsart AI Photo Editor, Video – Apps on Google Play
- Canva web application
Guidelines for creating low vision simulation images
Involve the individual with visual impairment to the fullest extent possible
As a high school student, I created low vision simulation images by myself based on conversations with my TVI, low vision ophthalmologist, and family members where I had talked about my usable vision. I felt comfortable with the photo editing tasks, but this may not be the case for everyone. It is important that the individual whose visual impairment is being simulated is involved in the design process so that they can provide feedback and ensure that the finished image reflects their residual vision as closely as possible.
When one of my friends asked me to help them create images that simulated their low vision when we were both in graduate school, I asked them guiding questions based on their functional vision assessment/functional vision evaluation (FVA/FVE). These assessments are typically conducted by a TVI or another low vision professional and often include referrals to allied professionals such as an assistive technology specialist.
Incorporate images that are encountered in the real world
As much as I wish I could see The Beatles at school, it is much more impactful to choose images that reflect what an individual encounters in their real-world environment. After I received positive feedback about my first edited images, I created a new set of images that reflected things that I was more likely to encounter at school, such as:
- Classroom board
- People standing far away
- Handwritten text on a page
- Typed text on a page
- Posters and landmarks throughout the school
- My locker
- Busy hallway
- Sheet music for band class
- Coordinate plane or other math problems
- Items on a shelf (e.g. clarinet case)
These images should be in the highest resolution possible before edits, but do not have to be perfectly composed— they should mimic how someone encounters the items in their day-to-day life. For example, I took a picture of the board and classroom posters with no camera zoom from my desk, or scanned digital copies of pages so I could use them with the image editing software.
Sharing low vision simulation images for self-advocacy
I have had several teachers tell me how impactful it was to view a simulation of their student’s low vision, and that it helped them be more intentional about how they present visual information in the classroom or ask questions about visual impairment to their students. I originally created these images as a self-advocacy tool so that I could explain my changing vision during IEP meetings and conversations with my TVI, and have since shared them with several audiences, including but not limited to:
- Child study teams
- IEP/504 Plan meetings
- Teachers at the beginning of the school year/semester
- Case managers
- Disability Services staff
- Teacher of the visually impaired/teacher of students with visual impairments (TVI/TSVI)
- Assistive technology specialists
- Doctors or medical staff
- Siblings of kids with low vision
- Professors
- Friends or classmates who ask what my vision is like— this was especially helpful in high school when I was going through a vision decline
Low vision simulation images can also be a helpful storytelling tool when sharing about low vision on social media, but it is important to emphasize that this reflects a singular experience with low vision and that visual impairment can affect others in different ways.
Related links
- Ten Lessons My TVI Taught Me
- Learning To Explain Usable Vision
- How To Create Accessible Classroom Posters For Students With Visual Impairments
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
- Assistive Technology For Dysgraphia
- Eight Things You Need To Know About Your Disability Accommodations
- School Lockers and Low Vision
- High School Hallways and Low Vision
Low vision simulation: blurry vision
Out of all of the low vision simulations, blurry vision is probably the easiest condition to simulate. There are a few types of blur filters available in PicsArt that can be used to explain different types of blurry vision, such as standard blur, motion blur (for nystagmus), radial blur (for limited visual field), and pixelize for showing low-resolution images or interfaces. Users can either apply a blur filter to the entire image, or use a brush tool to apply it to selected parts of the image.
To add a blur effect to images in PicsArt, open an image and go to Effects > Blur and choose a filter. Once finished, select Apply.
To add a blur effect to images in Canva, select an image and go to Edit > Effects > Blur, adjusting the slider or using the brush tool as needed. When finished, close the Blur tool.
Photo used: A dry-erase with a diagram written in red marker. Image taken 5 feet from subject while sitting in the front row. Used to justify accommodation for getting copies of notes or permission to take photos of the whiteboard in class.
Related links
- How To Make Things On The Board Easier To See
- Preferential Seating and Low Vision
- How I Take Notes During Video Lectures With Low Vision
- Ten Spooky Inaccessible Assignments For Low Vision Students
Low vision simulation: double vision
While a lot of people seem to understand what blurry vision or decreased acuity looks like, one of the major components of my low vision is double vision, specifically monocular double vision that cannot be fully corrected by glasses. This is connected to my diagnosis of accommodative esotropia, which is a type of strabismus. My double vision can become harder to control if I am tired, sick, or stressed out, so I created two images that show examples of how I experience double vision.
Double vision with shadow effect
When I am wearing my glasses, I experience what I describe as “one-and-three-quarter” vision, as I have double vision that creates a shadow effect where the images run into each other— they are not truly distinct images. The “original” image is also not in a consistent location. There are a few options for editing this as a low vision simulation:
- After choosing a “base” image, use the Add Photo tool to add the same image in the project. Use a background removal tool to remove background elements of the new image, and position the new image at a diagonal angle, connecting to the “base” image. An eraser tool can be used to obscure the area where the two images intersect.
- Instead of using a background removal tool, use a lasso crop to select the focus of an image.
- In PicsArt, go to Tools > Motion > Shape and select an area of the image to duplicate. Drag outwards and set the Count slider to 2.
Photo used: A coordinate plane with a line printed on a page, taken eighteen inches from subject resting on a flat desk. Used to justify accommodation for large print, digital graphics, and high resolution images that can be magnified. While a subtle blur effect has been applied, I wanted to focus on the double image component of this image.
Double vision, two separate images
When I was younger or going through significant vision declines, my double vision would present more frequently as two distinct images. This still happens when I have a lot of visual fatigue or if I otherwise am having trouble focusing my eyes, and can present either as two horizontal images or more space between the diagonal images shown in the previous example. There are a few options for editing this as a low vision simulation:
- Use a Mirror filter in PicsArt by going to Effects > Artistic > Mirror and tap on the Mirror filter to configure advanced settings.
- After choosing a “base” image, use the Add Photo tool to add the same image in the project. Use a background removal tool to remove background elements of the new image, and position the new image at a horizontal or vertical angle close to the “base” image.
- Instead of using a background removal tool, use a lasso crop to select the subject of an image.
Photo used: High school laptop sitting on top of a light green fabric surface, taken while standing approximately four feet above subject. Used to explain why I have trouble finding items and grasp for thin air, or locate items by moving my hands around instead of just looking at them, A subtle blur effect has been applied.
Related links
- Two of Everything: Living With Double Vision
- Ten “Odd” Things I Do With Double Vision
- Digital Rulers For Dysgraphia and Low Vision
- Disability Accommodations For Fluctuating Eyesight
- How I Explain My Brain With Chiari Malformation
Low vision simulation: limited visual field/decreased peripheral vision
I have decreased peripheral vision (sometimes known as limited visual field), though not to the same extreme as someone with retinitis pigmentosa or glaucoma may experience. For some people, the visual field may appear blurry with small windows of clarity, while others may feel like their vision is “blacked out” and rely on the small field of view to access visual information.
To create a low vision simulation with reduced visual field:
- In PicsArt, select Tools > Tilt Shift > Radial and adjust the focus area as needed. Select Apply when finished.
- Apply a blur filter across an image and use a brush/eraser effect to remove specific areas. The inverse can also be used to apply filters to central vision.
- For Canva, apply the blur filter to an image and then use the brush tool to add/remove blur. I recommend decreasing the brush intensity to a lower value on the slider for a more natural effect.
- To add a blackout effect, use the brush tool in Canva or PicsArt to apply image edits to a specific area of the image. I recommend the Neon filter for PicsArt or using Adjust Image in Canva to adjust contrast, blacks, highlighting, vignette, and similar effects.
To show the color intensity of this effect, I have chosen a more colorful image to demonstrate these edits for the purposes of a low vision simulation. It’s not likely that someone will see a parrot at school!
Photo used: Me holding a parrot on my arm, photographed five feet from subject. Used to justify a preferential seating accommodation and smaller font size for materials with another student.
Photo used: Me holding a parrot on my arm, photographed five feet from subject. While the crooked circle does not show precisely what the field of view might look like, variations on this image have been used to support accommodations related to preferential seating and visual field neglect for other students.
Related links
- Highlighting Information With Low Vision
- Gym Classes and Low Vision: My Personal Experiences
- School Cafeterias and Low Vision
- Common Classroom Accommodations For Low Vision
Low vision simulation: low contrast or contrast deficiency
Gray pencil lead on white paper is the equivalent of invisible ink to me, and the easiest way to simulate this is arguably by just taking a photo of white notebook paper. That said, I also frequently encounter situations where items blend into the background or appear completely invisible due to low contrast, which can be really frustrating.
To simulate a contrast deficiency in Canva or PicsArt:
- Experiment with adjusting the contrast settings on an image or using black/white filters.
- Use the Colorize filter in PicsArt and adjust the color hue/fade intensity as needed. Select Screen to make the brightness more intense.
Photo used: Page of handwritten notes, taken twelve inches from subject. Used to justify accommodation for writing in pens and using saturated colors for dry-erase boards. If this was simulating my actual vision, this image would also appear blurry, rendering the text practically invisible. For dark mode users, image is inverted.
Related links
- High Contrast and Low Vision
- Writing Aids For Low Vision: My Personal Superlatives
- Apple Pencil Customizations For Writing With Low Vision
- How I Use The Apple Pencil With Low Vision
- Math Test Accommodations For Low Vision
Low vision simulation: glare
I have photophobia and photosensitivity, which is a sensitivity to bright and flashing lights as well as glare. If I am sitting in front of the dry-erase board and there is a light directly above me, it can distort the image on the board and make content harder to see, or impact how I view information on a projector.
In PicsArt, filters like Sparks can add floaters to a low vision simulation, or Cartoonizer and Poster can be used to show reduced clarity in an image. For visual snow, the Spotted filter at the smallest size in the Effects menu can also be effective for this. To add floaters to an image, select the Sparks filter.
In Canva, consider adding elements such as lens flares, sun flares, or reflections over an image, or using contrast filters to change the appearance further.
Photo used: Sheet music from band, taken 18 inches from subject. Used to justify accommodation for tinted glasses and preferential seating, as well as anti-glare page protectors.
Related links
- Reduce Glare In The Classroom For Low Vision Students
- Lighting And Low Vision
- My Large Print Music Binder
- How Tinted Glasses Help My Light Sensitivity
More tips for using PicsArt and Canva to simulate low vision
- Another simulation I found helpful to create was showing how lines appear distorted or hard to track with double vision. I write more about assistive technology for reading in A to Z of Assistive Technology for Reading Digital Text
- These simulations are meant to show how my vision looks like I am wearing prescription glasses— learn about my glasses in Veronica’s Four Eyes: All About My Glasses For Low Vision
- Wondering how I answer questions about my eyes? Read How I Respond To Questions/Comments About My Eyes
Published August 17, 2018. Updated July 2025