For people experiencing vision loss, technology can be a game-changer. At Lighthouse Guild, patients are learning to use assistive devices that help them navigate daily life with greater independence.

Chief technology officer Dr. Bryan Wolynski works with patients like Angela Delgado, who has glaucoma and relies on adaptive tools, including a device called Hable Easy, to use her smartphone.

"Some of the technology, like my phone, I used to always use Google Assistant, so now I'm learning how to use the TalkBack, an accessibility app that helps me navigate from place to place on the screen and it reads the texts out loud to me," Delgado said.

She is one of many patients at Lighthouse Guild who are introduced to assistive technology tailored to their needs. The organization helps people with vision impairment achieve personal goals and gain independence.

"It really doesn't matter what level or type of eye disease someone has or type of vision loss, it's really all about meeting their individual goals, having that professional evaluation and then matching the technology up to the individual," Wolynski said.

Bill Graham, a low-vision patient and Lighthouse Guild volunteer, uses a variety of tech tools, including Ray-Ban Meta Glasses, which can take a picture and describe through audio what is in front of the person wearing them.

"It's very important because I lost my ability to read, but I see certain shapes, I see you, I can see your outline, but I can't read, so now I can find out what's on the menu but I can ask, is there steak on the menu," Graham said while reading from a menu at an Upper West Side pizza place.

For Delgado, assistive technology has been a crucial support as she adjusts to vision loss.

"I can't run from vision loss because vision loss is with me everywhere that I go. So it's like running from me and I want to live today and live a quality of life and not a life of despair," she said.

To learn more about assistive technology or schedule a low-vision exam, visit lighthouseguild.org.