Eyewear technology company, eSight, has launched its new generation eSight 3 electronic autofocus wearable magnifier in New Zealand and Australia. This hands-free low vision glasses technology aims to help visually-impaired patients see in much the same way as sighted people do, allowing them to carry out everyday activities.
In New Zealand, eSight’s September launch was hosted by Low Vision Services in Remuera, Auckland, the country’s first ‘eSight-authorised dispensing clinic’.
Low Vision Services optometrist Naomi Meltzer says she contacted a number of people from across New Zealand who had expressed an interest in the technology on eSight’s website, and to her surprise, she says, seven families flew in from across the country to try eSight for themselves. Patients keen to try eSight ranged from 5–77 years old and suffered from a range of sight-affecting conditions including albinism, ocular hypoplasia and macular degeneration, said Meltzer. “All demonstrated a huge, measurable improvement in distance acuity with eSight and all were able to read small print at near range.”
The glasses, which look like something from Star Trek, feature a high-speed, high-resolution camera, which captures what the user is looking at in real time. The video is then fed through an algorithm, which instantly processes the video, enhances it and displays it on two, organic LED screens positioned close in front of the user’s eyes.
One young lady, Britnee (pictured) was delighted with what she could see, added Meltzer. “She had a beaming smile the whole time.” Britnee later commentated that she felt somewhat overwhelmed by the experience. “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. It’s very cool.”
