A new, pricey device helps people with weak vision see

By Janet Morrissey, New York Times

When Jimmy Blakley signed up to serve his country during the Vietnam War, his health and vision were pristine. But shortly after finishing his service in 1971, Blakley’s vision began to sharply deteriorate.

He said doctors discovered signs of Agent Orange, the toxic herbicide used during the war, in his blood and told him it was likely the cause of his vision loss. Over the years, he had surgery and eye injections but became legally blind in 1999. He used magnifiers on top of glasses to read and needed to sit 2 feet away to watch his 65-inch TV. He was frustrated.

Then Blakley, now 72 and living in College Station, Texas, learned about IrisVision, a device that uses a smartphone, virtual reality headset and algorithms to help people with poor vision see and read clearly. For Blakley it was life-changing.

Read the rest of the story at the Star-Advertiser