'Smart glasses' help fix failing vision

[annie]

Researchers from Oxford University say they've made a breakthrough in developing smart glasses for people with severe sight loss.

The glasses enhance images of nearby people and objects on to the lenses, providing a much clearer sense of surroundings.

They have allowed some people to see their guide dogs for the first time.

The Royal National Institute of Blind People says they could be "incredibly important".

Lyn Oliver has a progressive eye disease which means she has very limited vision. Now 70, she was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa in her early twenties. She can spot movement but describes her sight as "smudged and splattered".

Her guide dog Jess helps her find her way around - avoiding most obstacles and hazards - but can't convey other information about her surroundings.

Lyn is one of nearly two million people in the UK with a sight problem which seriously affects their daily lives.

Most though have at least some residual sight.

Researchers at Oxford University have developed a way to enhance this - using smart glasses. They are fitted with a specially adapted 3D camera.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-27768890

[maureenho]

I heard about this on the radio, it will make a huge difference to visually impaired peoples lives.

[JaneJ]

How clever.

it must give many such hope