Visual Aids for Christmas Gifts

With Christmas creeping up on us (less than 7 weeks away!) we thought we would write this handy blog for Christmas present ideas. So , what could be the best gift for a blind person or someone who has visual impairment? We’ve got you covered this festive season…

Practical Gifts

We are often asked for advice on low vision aids so here’s some thoughtful gift ideas for Christmas presents:

• Lighting – Lighting is crucial as those who have low or limited vision need much more illumination from the lighting they use and it is vital to control the intensity and contrast of their lights and reduce any glare from these (read more about this here: https://opticalleyecare.co.uk/whats-the-best-lighting-for-care-homes/). There are a wide range of portable and easily operated lamps that you can use to reduce glare, improve focus and avoid eye strain, when carrying out tasks, especially those that require fine motor skills. RNIB have got a sale on some of their lighting at the moment so check out the perfect gift on their website here: https://shop.rnib.org.uk/house/lighting.
• Talking clocks –  Time is precious so make the most of your day by setting alarms and reminders to keep you on track. You can also get clocks that have a function to tell you the day and date too. 
• Magnifiers – This is another fantastic gift for visually impaired people because it helps make things bigger and clearer to see. They have come a long way since the days of detectives using them to find clues!!! 
• Coloured cutlery – Not only would this brighten up your home but it will also make it easier for you to find at mealtimes. They are often designed with larger handles to make it easier to grip too.  These help make eating food enjoyable again.

Fun Gifts

Here we have something excellent gifts that will keep you and your family entertained during the holiday season.

• Card Games – Fancy a card game this Christmas. Play Solitaire on your own or have fun with the family playing a great variety of group card games such as Whist and Rummy etc. Buy some large print playing cards and it makes the cards easier to hold and see for everyone playing.
• Board Games – RNIB also has a wide variety of board games available in editions that make it easier for your vision, eyes won’t have to strain to see the features on these. They have large print, braille and tactile versions of your favourite board games. Check them out the RNIB’s selection of games here: https://shop.rnib.org.uk/leisure/indoor-games/board-games.
• Books – Audio books, large print books and adult colouring books all make great suggestions for gifts if you need any more ideas for people. There are a huge range of book titles on many supermarkets or online shops, and if you are not sure which book to buy then you can always get a gift card so the recipient can choose themselves.

We hope that you have found this gift guide helpful and you can now start getting gifts for your loved ones. We can’t recommend highly enough the gift store on the RNIB website as this has loads of gift ideas for vision aids: https://shop.rnib.org.uk/gifts.

If you need advice on a low vision aid for yourself or a loved one then please call us on 020 8998 4228 or email us at [email protected] and one of our mobile opticians will be able to give you some handy information.