Books without barriers

Eyesight assistance

Of the 17 million visually impaired people nationwide, more than 10 million suffer from weak eyesight, which means they can see, but their sight is blurred, according to data from China Foundation for Disabled Persons. At a BLC museum, there are three pairs of special glasses with worn-out lenses that allow people to experience the condition. Most people who try them say it is like trying to see through a mist.

For people with the condition, the BLC has prepared books with large fonts, featuring characters as big as 1 square centimeter in some cases, so that they can read more easily. If that's not enough, they have devices whereby a reader with weak eyesight can put books under a camera and read them on a bigger screen that further magnifies the text. It is more than just an electronic magnifying glass though, as the reader is also able to make notes directly on the screen.