PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- A helpful tool for people with visual impairments may be as close at hand as their smart phone.
Talking to a smart phone's digital assistant, users can set alarms, get verbal map directions and send messages, says Dr. Julia Haller, ophthalmologist in chief at Wills Eye Hospital.
"Having Siri as an assistant or Alexa as an assistant is hugely helpful and has made a tremendous difference for people," Haller said. "There is also Audible, the ability for books to be read or text messages to be read."
In the phone's settings, users can increase the screen contrast and magnify the text.
"Simply getting brighter contrast and more magnification is enough to completely change their quality of life," Haller said.
Users can also flip the colors of the text and the background, if it's easier to read white letters on a black background. And there are a number of apps available to assist people with vision impediments, or no vision at all, send greeting cards, listen to podcasts, and more.
Haller often recommends to patients that they let a friend or family member take a look and download several that will be useful. A list is available online.