Top Vision Test Applications Improve Visual Acuity in Aging Individuals

Never before in the past have older individuals approaching the middle ages of their life had to rely on their visual acuity as much as now. Part of the aging process that diminishes eyesight, often times makes it very challenging to focus on any object (especially small) that is less than two feet away. As a result, most people turn to reading glasses in an attempt to make the image crisper and more recognizable. As electronic equipment continues to evolve, a vision test application has been developed to keep an individual’s vision much sharper for many years longer, well beyond the typical age when glasses are usually required.

The applications that have been developed and used on an iPhone help train the brain to automatically translate blurry text and images into significantly clearer ones. The process works by displaying a group of blurry lines (referred to as Gabor patches) onto the screen at several points. The individual then must identify when a single “patch” appears at the center of the screen. Clinical studies have shown that individuals averaging at least 51 years old develop the ability to read text at least two lines lower on a testing eye chart, after only 40 times of using the eye enhancing application.

As an effective way to counteract the “read-limiting” effects of presbyopia, an iPhone application named GlassesOff was developed. Presbyopia is an eye condition that limits the eye’s abilities to focus on near text and objects. Older individuals are finding that they no longer need to hold books, menus and magazines out at the end of their arm’s length just to read the text.

As an effective technique, this brain training application had been continually researched and tested for almost two decades. Using the app for only 15 minutes, at least three times each week, for 90 days has resulted in very positive clinical results. The reading speed of an individual between the ages of 42 and 51 years have shown to be reduced by four seconds per each sentence read, saving tremendous amounts of time for the average aging reader.

The application works very well because it uses iPhone’s high-quality retina display. The results are so impressive that it helps reduce response time to a variety of visual events including sports, detailed work and driving. By developing the brain’s image processing, the application can help nearly anyone suffering from vision deficiencies, and those that experience severe headaches while reading.