Telescopes come in many powers and, like binoculars, the field of view is reduced when looking through the telescope.

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If a person cannot see well enough to drive, watch television, or see sporting events, plays, or other distance objects with their current eyeglasses, a small telescope can be used to help see better at a distance. Telescopes can be hand held, put on a finger ring, mounted on a neck cord, or mounted in or on a patient’s eyeglasses. Telescopes come in many powers and, like binoculars, the field of view is reduced when looking through the telescope.

When the telescope is mounted in an eyeglass frame, the patient’s hands are free. Spectacle-mounted telescopes can be pre-made and inexpensive, or be custom-made for the patient with the patient’s eyeglass prescription in the telescope. A low vision eye doctor can prescribe and have these telescopes made.

When a telescope is mounted in the top of the eyeglass lens, the patient can use both the telescope and his eyeglass prescription. The telescope is used for tasks such as spotting signs while walking, seeing the chalk board in the classroom, driving where allowed by law, and any task that might require the use of both the telescope and prescription lens at the same time. Telescopes are usually angled upward. A person looks straight ahead to see through the eyeglass lens and then tilts their head down while looking straight ahead to view a magnified image through the telescope. This is similar to using a bifocal. In several states it is legal for a visually impaired person to drive with a biopic telescope. Contact your motor vehicle department for information about driving with biopic telescopes in your state.

ShopLowVision.com offers various brands and designs of telescopes through our professional eye care network. Ask your doctor for more information.

Additional Product Suggestions

Optelec PowerTV Glasses - Lightweight, adjustable Optelec PowerTV Glasses provide 2.1X magnification for distance viewing. These comfortable glasses are perfect for watching television, movies, sporting events or other outdoor activities. Using a binocular telescope system, the Optelec PowerTV glasses help to maximize the size of the television screen and other objects. With adjustable lenses, the glasses can easily adjust and the hands free frame allows for complete enjoyment of multiple activities. Please note: The Optelec PowerTV Glasses should NOT be used while operating a motor vehicle.

Optelec FarView portable electronic video magnifier - Featuring a compact design, the Optelec FarView handheld portable video magnifier combines the benefits of distance and close-up viewing with the ability to access, store, review, and share information on a 4.3 inch reading screen. The Optelec FarView is used to capture and magnify images at a far with a built-in high definition and auto focus camera.  Classroom, office presentations, or coffee shop menus can be captured, stored or read later in preferred magnification and  high contrast settings. The Optelec FarViewalso has zoom-in functionality, scrolling, and auto-return with a storage capacity of up to 100 images.

• Product Tip! Without trying to zoom-in, point the Optelec FarView in the direction of the image or sign in the distance that you want to capture and read. Once you take the snapshot, then zoom-in to view the text or image for best image quality.