Living with low vision can change how you read, cook, use technology, and move through your home. A few thoughtful household changes can help you make better use of your remaining sight and handle everyday tasks with greater confidence.
At Bissell Low Vision, low vision care starts with what you want to keep doing. That might mean preparing your own breakfast, reading in your favorite chair, working on the computer, or moving comfortably from room to room. Better lighting, stronger contrast, smart organization, and low vision aids can help make your home work better for you.
Low Vision Lighting Tips for Your Home
Better lighting can make reading, cooking, grooming, and other daily activities easier for many people with low vision. The key is putting useful light where you need it.
Start with the places where you spend the most time. A movable lamp beside your reading chair can direct light onto a book, newspaper, or crossword puzzle. Under-cabinet lighting can brighten your kitchen counter while you prepare food. Extra lighting near closets, stairs, bathroom counters, and workspaces can also make objects and surfaces easier to see.
Position task lights so they illuminate what you're working on rather than shining directly toward your eyes. Adjustable blinds and curtains can help you control natural light throughout the day.
Low Vision Glare Control at Home
More light works best when glare stays under control. Windows, mirrors, television screens, countertops, and other shiny surfaces can reflect light toward your eyes and make details harder to see.
Pay attention to where glare appears throughout the day. You may find that closing blinds, repositioning a chair, moving a lamp, or changing the angle of a television gives you a clearer view.
Your home can have plenty of useful light while still feeling comfortable for your eyes.
Low Vision Contrast Tips for Everyday Tasks
Contrast helps important objects stand apart from their surroundings. For someone with low vision, a simple color change can make common household items much easier to locate.
Picture a white light switch against a white wall. Now surround that switch with a dark switch plate. Its edges become much easier to identify.
Try the same idea throughout your home:
- Place light objects against dark backgrounds and dark objects against light backgrounds.
- Add contrasting tape near the edges of steps.
- Choose towels that stand apart from bathroom walls and counters.
- Use dishes that contrast with the food you serve.
- Mark frequently used controls with bright or contrasting labels.
- Choose handles that stand out from doors and cabinets.
Small visual cues can save you from searching for the same objects throughout the day.
Low Vision Home Organization and Safety
A predictable home allows your memory to work alongside your vision.
Give frequently used objects consistent locations. Keys might always go in the same bowl. Medications can have a dedicated storage area. Kitchen tools can return to the same drawer after every use.
Keep walking paths open and easy to follow. Secure loose rugs, move electrical cords away from walking areas, keep chairs pushed in, and return objects to their usual locations.
Consistency also helps when you live with other people. Ask family members to tell you when they move furniture or relocate something you use regularly.
Low Vision Kitchen Tips for Easier Cooking
Contrast and organization can make many kitchen tasks easier when you have low vision.
Start with your work surface. A dark cutting board can make light foods such as onions, potatoes, and bread easier to see. A light cutting board can provide stronger contrast for tomatoes, leafy greens, and other darker foods.
You can also:
- Add large-print or high-contrast labels to containers.
- Mark appliance settings with raised dots or contrasting tape.
- Group similar foods together.
- Keep sharp utensils in a consistent location.
- Choose measuring tools with large, easy-to-read markings.
- Use contrast beneath cups and containers when pouring liquids.
Rather than changing your entire kitchen at once, begin with the tasks you perform most often. Build the space around your routine.
Low Vision Bathroom Tips for Daily Routines
Strong contrast, consistent organization, and useful lighting can make bathroom routines easier.
Choose towels that stand apart from the walls. Keep commonly used toiletries in consistent locations. Add contrast around items that tend to disappear against counters or other surfaces.
Pay particular attention to lighting around the sink, shower, and toilet. Keep floors and walking areas clear so the room remains easy to move through.
Medication organization also deserves care. Large-print labels, tactile markers, magnification, and accessible medication organizers may make important information easier to identify. Your pharmacist may also offer accessible labeling options.
Low Vision Technology for Greater Independence
Your smartphone, tablet, or computer may already contain useful low vision tools.
Accessibility settings can increase text size, magnify areas of the screen, adjust contrast, or read text aloud. Voice assistants can also help with household tasks such as setting timers, creating reminders, checking the time, and making calls.
Electronic magnification can offer another level of support. Portable and desktop video magnifiers can enlarge printed material and adjust contrast for tasks such as:
- Reading mail
- Looking at photographs
- Writing
- Completing paperwork
- Reading labels
- Working with printed materials
Bissell Low Vision offers video and digital magnifiers, computer solutions, and other low vision devices. The right technology depends on your vision and the activities you want to perform.
Low Vision Independence Starts With Your Routine
Start with one activity that matters to you.
If you want to read the morning paper, a task lamp and magnifier may help. If preparing meals has become more difficult, stronger contrast and a predictable workspace may make the kitchen easier to use. If computer work takes too much effort, larger text, accessibility features, or electronic magnification may provide another option.
There is rarely one household setup that works for everyone with low vision. Your home should reflect your vision, habits, goals, and favorite activities.
Small adjustments can add up to something much larger: more freedom to spend your day doing the things that matter to you.
Low Vision Aids at Bissell Low Vision
Household changes are one part of living well with low vision. Low vision glasses, magnifiers, electronic devices, and other aids can help you make greater use of your remaining sight.
At Bissell Low Vision, Dr. John Bissell starts with your goals. During a low vision evaluation, he can assess how vision loss affects your daily activities and recommend tools suited to specific tasks.
Depending on your needs, options may include:
- Handheld and stand magnifiers
- Bioptic telescopic glasses
- Prismatic reading glasses
- E-Scoop glasses
- Video and electronic magnifiers
- Computer solutions
- Other low vision devices
A favorite book, a family recipe, an afternoon at the computer, or greater freedom around your own home can carry a great deal of meaning. Low vision care should begin with those moments.
Bissell Low Vision serves patients from southwestern Pennsylvania, northern Pittsburgh, eastern Ohio, and West Virginia. Contact our team to learn how low vision aids and personalized low vision care can help you make the most of your remaining sight and continue doing more of what you love.