Tips for Successful Television Viewing
Television can be a source of entertainment, relaxation and education and people with low vision want to enjoy this medium like their fully sighted counterparts. Here are some suggestions for making the experience more pleasurable:
- Adjust the lighting in the room. For most people, it is best to watch television in general room lighting. Be cautious of a light source reflecting on the screen. Too much light, especially glare from a window, can be a problem. Additionally, watching television in a dark room may cause problems.
- Adjust the contrast on the television, experimenting to find what works best for you. Generally, a higher contrast is better for the partially sighted person. Be sure to use the contrast control to adjust your set, not the brightness control.
- Move closer to the television. By moving your chair from 10 feet to 5 feet from the screen, it enlarges the image on the retina by a factor of 2 (this is called relative distance magnification). There is no need to worry about radiation from the screen on televisions manufactured after 1965. However, some people will do better with special glasses.
- Use low vision aids to watch television. For the person with considerable residual vision, a screen magnifier that fits over the television may be prescribed. This only comes in one power and provides 1-2X magnification. For some others, a telescopic system can be used and this is available in powers from 1.5X to 10X. The appropriate head-mounted style can be designed when the doctor and the patient work together to determine what is best. Some people prefer to hold a binocular or monocular. High-tech systems, like the Max Port, have cameras that project images on an internal viewing screen. Manual controls allow a person to zoom in on the television.
Explore what works best for you. Our store carries a large remote control to make it easier to adjust the channel and volume on your television.
Last Updated: Monday, December 28th, 2009 at 03:22:12 Back to top
