Low Vision Devices
Tools that help you do more.
Magnifiers, electronic devices, special lighting, and screen readers — the right tool depends on what you want to do, where you want to do it, and how much vision you have to work with. We fit and demonstrate before you buy.
optometrists
clinics
annual exam to age 19
UO clinical experience
Optical Magnification
Bigger, sharper, easier.
Magnification is the most common low vision tool — and the one with the most variety. The right magnifier depends on the task (reading vs sewing vs medication labels), the distance (in-hand vs across-room), and how much vision you have left. We carry a range and let you try before deciding.
Handheld Magnifiers
Portable, single-hand use; from low-power for menus to high-power for fine print.
Stand Magnifiers
Sit on the page so your hands stay free; ideal for reading sessions, crafts, and medication labels.
Spectacle-Mounted (Microscopes)
High magnification built into glasses; both eyes work at near distance.
Telescopes (Monocular and Bifocal)
For distance tasks like reading street signs, recognising faces across a room, or watching a stage.
Digital Devices
Tablets and smart magnifiers.
Electronic devices have transformed low vision in the past decade. A handheld electronic magnifier or a tablet with the right apps now does what a specialised closed-circuit TV cost thousands for ten years ago. We help you pick — and learn — the device that matches your tasks and your tech comfort.
Handheld Electronic Magnifiers
Pocket or purse-sized; high contrast modes, snapshot capability, freeze-frame for menus.
Desktop Video Magnifiers (CCTV)
For sustained reading, sewing, hobbies; large screens, adjustable contrast, X-Y reading tables.
Tablet Apps and Accessibility
Built-in screen magnification, text-to-speech, high-contrast modes; we walk through what’s already on the device you own.
Struggling with screens and dry eye?
If you also struggle with screens because of dry eye, our colleagues at U Dry Eye Institute can help — many low vision patients have coexisting dry eye that worsens reading fatigue.
Lighting and Contrast
The simplest upgrade often.
Better lighting and better contrast are the cheapest and most effective low vision interventions — and the most overlooked. Bright, glare-free task lighting; high-contrast keyboards, phones, and dishes; non-reflective work surfaces. Small environmental changes often help more than a stronger magnifier.
Task Lighting
Focused, glare-free, adjustable; what you read with matters as much as what magnifier you use.
High-Contrast Everyday Tools
Large-button phones, talking watches, oversized remotes, marked stoves, contrast tape on stair edges.
Glare Control
Wraparound tinted lenses for outdoors, anti-reflective coatings indoors, blinds and lampshade adjustments at home.
Try Before You Buy
We fit. We demonstrate. You decide.
Low vision devices range from 30 pound magnifiers to 5,000 pound electronic systems. The wrong tool isn’t just expensive — it sits in a drawer unused. We trial devices in-clinic with the actual tasks you struggle with, give you a chance to take samples home where possible, and follow up to make sure the choice still fits as your vision changes.
In-Clinic Demonstration
Try magnifiers, electronic devices, and lighting on the books and tasks you brought with you.
Home Trial (Where Possible)
For higher-cost devices, we may arrange a take-home trial period.
Ongoing Review
Devices that work today may need adjustment in six months as your vision changes; we update as needed.
Need eye care accessories and products?
Our U Shoppe team carries clinician-vetted products — magnifier cases, cleaning kits, and specific contrast tools.
Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Book an Assessment
Ready when you are.
Book a low vision assessment online or call (416) 292-0336. Let’s find the tools that work for your vision and your life.
Book an Appointment