Vision loss is complicated to explain. There’s no single path to vision loss; every individual has different experiences and needs. To meet the needs of a diverse population, the assistive technologies (AT) that people who are blind or have low vision rely on aren’t one-size-fits-all; each has unique features, with some overlap, allowing users to choose tools that fit the level of vision loss they are currently experiencing.
Over time, these technologies have evolved, giving individuals greater autonomy and enhanced productivity without relying exclusively on residual vision. Still, many people aren’t sure which tool best fits their needs, or that their technology can evolve as their vision changes.
Growing With Assistive Technology: Matt Ater’s Story
Matt Ater, Vispero’s Sr. Vice President, Business Development, is a longtime AT user and a seasoned accessibility expert. Matt was born sighted, but complications from hydrocephalus caused progressive vision loss at a young age. As a child still learning to read and write, Matt was dependent on tools such as audio books, sheet magnifiers, and closed-circuit television (CCTV), an early form of video magnifier. Matt began using ZoomText in college as a way to learn how to use a computer, but didn’t transition to a screen reader until later in life, after he had started a job training blind and low-vision individuals to use AT. It was during this time that Matt began to realize the power of other AT products.
“As I saw what other blind people were doing with technology, because I was now out there training on how to use JAWS®, I was just blown away with the fact that I could be more efficient with a screen reader,” he recalled.
ZoomText: Bridging Vision and Productivity
Like Matt, many low vision users begin by using ZoomText. While it still relies on the user’s remaining sight, it offers magnification and color contrast enhancements. Features like text smoothing make reading easier by reducing pixelation that occurs when text is significantly enlarged. For many users who retain some vision, this smoothing feature is a significant enhancement. “I never thought 4K or HD was going to make a difference to me,” Matt explained, noting that to see certain things, he would have to be inches away from a screen, making the text grainy. “By adding HD and adding 4K, you added clarity. Pixels actually filling in the gaps was amazing,” he said.
In some ways, ZoomText feels as intuitive as the “pinch and zoom” feature on modern smartphones—it’s easy to understand for users in the early stages of vision loss. Still, many users find that a screen reader offers additional productivity enhancements and can alleviate the physical and mental strain that comes with using their vision. This is where hybrid tools come into play.
Fusion: The Next Step Toward Efficiency
For people with low vision, looking at a screen and reading can be tiring. In addition to straining their eyes by using the vision they have left, the process can be slow. If users become lost on a page or want to re-read text, they need to start over, slowly re-navigate a website or document.
Often, low vision users turn to Fusion, a hybrid magnifier and screen reader, when magnification alone becomes inefficient. For users like Matt, leveraging both magnification and screen-reading technology allows them to use their vision to see the screen when comfortable or turn off their monitor and navigate via screen reader. “I can sit back, turn off my screen, and totally use my computer without using magnification. Or, in certain situations, I may want to use magnification because I still have some sight,” Matt explained.
As users’ needs change, their technology can evolve with them. By combining ZoomText’s visual support with speech output, Fusion gives users the freedom to switch between sighted and sound-based navigation, reducing eye strain and boosting efficiency.
JAWS: Unlock the Potential of Independence
There is no set path forward for vision loss. Some individuals retain some vision, while others progress to complete blindness. When magnification alone is no longer enough, JAWS empowers users to work, learn, and live with complete independence. But JAWS isn’t just for when vision is gone. It’s the beginning of new independence.
For many users, JAWS is the beginning of a new kind of autonomy and freedom. As the world’s most widely used screen reader, JAWS provides seamless access across applications, browsers, and devices, ensuring that users maintain complete access (and freedom) to navigate the web, communicate, learn, and work, just as they did with ZoomText and Fusion. Additionally, both JAWS and Fusion also support refreshable Braille inputs, which allow people to navigate and consume information using Braille.
Today, Vispero is committed to improving the JAWS experience, adding AI enhancements and updates to ensure users are always up to date as technology continues to evolve.
Enjoy Progress, Not Loss, with Vispero’s Assistive Technology Software
Adopting new technologies isn’t about losing vision; it’s about gaining new ways to work, live, and communicate. For more than two decades, Vispero has empowered people who are blind or have low vision with trusted technology that supports independence in a digital-first world.
Interested in learning more about our products? Explore Vispero’s assistive technology software and find what works for your vision loss journey.