Tengo Baja Visión 1.2

The Low Vision Symptoms Simulator effectively illustrates the various ways in which individuals with low vision perceive their surroundings. By simulating symptoms such as loss of visual field, central vision impairment, patched vision, night blindness, photophobia, and reduced contrast sensitivity, the application fosters a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by those with low vision.

This tool correlates specific visual impairments—such as retinitis pigmentosa, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration (AMD), Stargardt disease, diabetic retinopathy, high degrees of myopia, and albinism—with their respective symptoms. It emphasizes that low vision represents a level of visual impairment less severe than blindness, one that cannot be corrected through conventional means like eyeglasses or surgery. Despite being more prevalent than blindness, low vision often remains under-recognized.

Interestingly, many individuals with low vision exhibit no visible signs of the condition in their eyes. This lack of external indicators can lead to situations where someone may navigate well in one environment yet struggle significantly in another, highlighting the variability in their experiences and needs.

Understanding the perception of a person with low vision is challenging for several reasons: the diversity of visual defects, the presence of multiple symptoms within a single individual, and the differing degrees of vision loss among affected persons. This application aims to bridge that gap by enhancing awareness of these challenges, thereby equipping both individuals and specialists with greater insights into low vision.

The simulator serves as a valuable resource for various professionals in the field—ophthalmologists, optometrists, vision rehabilitation therapists, psychologists, and educators—alongside individuals with low vision themselves and organizations advocating on their behalf. Through its educational approach, the app seeks to improve social interactions and foster understanding between those with low vision and the wider community.