Episode 10

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Published on:

15th Mar 2026

Episode 10: How Does Seeing AI Recognize Food, Money, and Text for People with Vision Loss?

Living with Vision Loss Podcast

Episode 10: How Does Seeing AI Recognize Food, Money, and Text for People with Vision Loss?

Host: Dawn Ciccarone, MS OTR/L, CLVT

Episode Type: Educational / App Guide

Episode Summary

Dawn introduces Seeing AI, a free text-to-speech app that helps people who are legally blind read again. If magnification devices don't work due to severely reduced vision, central scotomas, constricted peripheral fields, or severe glare, Seeing AI can read printed material aloud and describe objects in your environment. Dawn demonstrates the three main features: Read, Describe, and More (currency and color identification).

Who Is Seeing AI For?

  1. People who can't see print even with magnification
  2. People with central scotomas (blind spots in central vision)
  3. People with severely constricted peripheral fields
  4. Anyone who is legally blind and wants to read independently

Three Main Features of Seeing AI

  1. Read
  2. Hold camera in front of printed material — it reads aloud instantly
  3. Great for spot reading (labels, cans, short text)
  4. Document Detection feature for longer pages or paragraphs
  5. Describe
  6. Identifies food on your plate
  7. Describes objects in your environment
  8. Helps find lost items by describing what the camera sees
  9. More (Currency & Color)
  10. Currency — Identifies paper bills (prevents tipping or paying the wrong amount)
  11. Color — Identifies colors (accuracy varies with lighting)

How to Get Started

  1. Download the app — Free on iPhone and Android
  2. Open the app — Use voice commands or VoiceOver
  3. Line up the camera — Use a reading stand to hold material
  4. Tap the screen — Controls are auditory and tell you what you're accessing

Things to Consider

  1. Practice is essential — don't get frustrated
  2. Camera alignment matters — won't read the whole page if not lined up correctly
  3. If you don't like the Read feature, try Document Detection instead
  4. Can also download on iPad
  5. If you have reduced acuity and can't see icons, learn VoiceOver (future episode)
  6. It's free — try it and see if it works for your goals!

Resources to Learn Seeing AI

  1. Lighthouse Guild — Videos on how to use Seeing AI: lighthouseguild.org
  2. Hadley Helps — Instructional videos for Android and iPhone (free membership): hadley.edu
  3. The Blind Life Podcast — Insights on using Seeing AI (available on YouTube and podcast platforms)
  4. YouTube — Search "Living with Vision Loss Dawn Ciccarone" for demonstrations
  5. Questions or to share your Seeing AI experience, email dawnmciccarone@gmail.com

Coming in the Next Episode

Other text-to-speech devices to help with reading

About Your Host

Dawn Ciccarone, MS, OTR/L, CLVT is a Certified Low Vision Therapist and Occupational Therapist with over 20 years of experience helping people with vision loss live independently.

Connect & Subscribe

Subscribe to the Living with Vision Loss Podcast. Contact Dawn on LinkedIn with questions or dawnmciccarone@gmail.com

Keywords: Seeing AI app, text to speech app, read aloud app, legally blind reading, low vision app, describe objects app, currency identifier app, central scotoma, blind spot vision, iPhone accessibility, Android accessibility, Lighthouse Guild, Hadley Helps, The Blind Life podcast

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Consult your physician or low vision specialist before making treatment decisions.

Living with Vision Loss Podcast © 2026 | Become More Independent in Your Everyday Life

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About the Podcast

Living with Vision Loss
Helping people with low vision live more independently
I'm Dawn Ciccarone, a certified low vision therapist and occupational therapist, and I created Living with Vision Loss to share something that changed my life: hope.
For over 20 years, I've worked with patients who come to me after hearing nothing but "your vision won't get better." They've been struggling—some for 5 years, some for 20—not knowing that low vision therapy exists or that there are tools, apps, and techniques that can help them read again, regain independence, and live fuller lives.
What is low vision? It's vision that can't be corrected by glasses, surgery, or medication due to conditions affecting the retina—macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, retinitis pigmentosa, and many others. But here's what most people don't know: you can learn to function with the vision you have.
On this channel, I answer the questions my patients ask me every day:

How do I read a book if I'm blind or have low vision?
What devices and apps can help me?
How do I adapt my environment?
What professionals can help me?
How do I maintain independence?

Whether you're a person with vision loss, a family member or caregiver, or a healthcare professional looking to learn more about low vision rehabilitation, this channel is for you. I break down complex topics into practical, actionable information—because no one should struggle in isolation when help is available.
My credentials include certification as a Low Vision Therapist and years of experience as an occupational therapist specializing in vision rehabilitation. I teach at an optometry school, lead technology support groups, and work with patients of all ages—from young people with genetic conditions to older adults with age-related vision loss.
Let's learn how to live with vision loss together.