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Readers may, by now, have noticed that I am a big fan of assistive technology, which allows the adaptation of everyday technology, such as tablets and smartphones, to be used in a variety of ways to help the visually impaired, often at a surprisingly low cost. That said, remember that such solutions are piggybacking on technology designed for general use, by sighted and sight impaired alike.

Adaptive electronic vision enhancement systems (EVES) are designed specifically for the visually impaired. They are listed as medical devices and incorporate features designed to help the visually impaired effectively and with ease. For this reason, it is worth remembering that the sometimes high cost of such instrumentation reflects their targeted ergonomic design and functionality. Furthermore, as adaptive technology, such instrumentation may be eligible for inclusion in NHS funded schemes.