Using technology with vision loss

Our world is full of amazing technologies that are truly helpful for those of us who are blind or have low vision: smartphones, computers, book-readers, magnifiers and more.

Most of us have a smartphone. Learning how to use it effectively is, first and foremost, a safety issue. If you are alone and in need of assistance, you need to be able to call for help. Both Android and iPhones have a “digital assistant” function that can help you place a call quickly
and easily.

For the iPhone, it is a matter of saying “hey Siri” (or on older models with a home button, press and hold the home button), then tell Siri what number to dial. That can be 911 for emergencies, or a friend or family member or your doctor’s office. If you have contacts store on your phone, you can have Siri call the number associated with that contact — just say that person’s name instead of saying the number.

On Android phones, you can say “hey Google” and then tell it who or what number to call. Practice this a few times by calling someone you know. Both Siri and Google can help with more than just making phone calls. They can tell you the time, the date, set alarms, start a timer, read a text message or email to you, send a text message and much more. 

Keep in mind, Siri and Google are not people, just computer programs. Keep your requests /commands short and direct. Also, they both have limits in terms of what they can do — they will tell you if something you asked for is beyond their capabilities.

Have fun calling folks and exploring what you can do!