Visual impairment in the workplace or at home.

This should never hold you back because people living with sight loss can choose from many tools that help to read the latest news, work and use a computer the same way as regular computer users. Screen reading software typically offers braille or reads texts out loud. CrystalEyes can offer assistive technology training for those with visual impairment.

The top computer screen readers are:

NV Access software is free. It not only reads out loud but also via braille display. The NV Access app also helps to send emails, messaging and makes using social media websites easier. The program is Windows compatible .

JAWS screen reading software is used by one-third of those who are partially sighted or blind

About one-third of those with sight loss use JAWS. The program is Windows compatible and allows browsing the web, reading text out loud, processing words and other features. However, it is not free – see its website for prices.

ZoomText is also a purchased produce and is liked by visually impaired people because of the quality of its magnification and ability to change the colour of texts. It also offers screen reading.

Cobra software simplifies Window for those with a vision impairment.

Cobra is made by Baum and simplifies working with Windows for blind and visually impaired computer users. It incorporates all standard functions of a modern screen reader and converts information from the screen into speech, braille or magnified form so this makes it easy to use.

Systems Access is Serotek’s text to speech application that also offer text enlargement and braille access and because it is compatible with all the main Windows applications it is very flexible.

Apple VoiceOver comes as standard with the Mac and operates like Siri on an i-Phone and so is familiar to many with a visual impairment

Apple VoiceOver works like Siri on i-phones and includes options to magnify, keyboard control and verbal descriptions to describe what is happening on screen. It also reads aloud file content as well as web pages, E-mail and word files. Keyboard commands enable user navigation of the Mac OS.