If you suffer from a visual impairment, it can be a pretty daunting prospect to grab a new TV. TV is such a visually-focused medium, and yet it can so often be closed off to those who are visually impaired. However, suffering from sight loss does not mean that you have to miss out on the best that TVs have to offer.
Many TVs actually boast a number of functions that can benefit those with sight impairments. We’ve taken a look through the research and identified some of the best TV features that can benefit the sight impaired, and some of the best TVs that show these features off.
Keen to know what came out on top? Our guide below has everything you need to know, so you can watch TV to your heart’s content.
What Should You Consider In A TV For The Sight Impaired?
A sight impairment can make it very difficult to parse visual information. As such, if you have a sight impairment, you might often find it a little daunting to navigate some of the menus found on modern smart TVs. As such, the best TVs for those with sight impairments are those that make navigation as simple as possible.
One great feature that helps with navigation is a “Screen reader”. This is a feature found in some TVs, that is able to read out text on your screen. Every time you click your remote to hover over another on-screen button, the screen reader will convert the text into spoken word. This makes it effortless to get around.
Sight impairments can make it difficult to parse on-screen information on an ordinary TV. As such, screen readers can really help, by reading out on-screen text as it is highlighted by the user!
A great TV feature for the sight-impaired is voice control. Voice controls allow you to interface your TV entirely with your voice. This negates the need to use your controller, and most importantly of all, it negates the need to scroll through confusing menus. Want to watch a particular show? Just ask the TV to take you to a specific episode!
And definitely don’t skimp on the visual side of things! For greater visual clarity, it’s worth looking for a TV with improved contrast. Contrast refers to the difference between the brightest and darkest parts of an on-screen image. Greater contrast makes details more clear, and makes it easier to identify shapes on-screen!
Which TVs Are Best For The Sight Impaired?
LG Electronics OLED55C36LC 55 Inch Evo C3 4K OLED
We identified earlier that sharper on-screen contrast can result in much higher clarity for the viewer. This is what makes the OLED55C36LC such a perfect TV for the sight impaired. OLED displays are noted for their incredible contrast, thanks to the way they operate. OLED TVs make use of self-illuminating pixels. This means that the darkest parts of any image can actually be displayed using true black values. Deeper black values lead to much sharper contrast overall.
And when it comes to navigating through all of your options, this TV makes control as simple as possible. The LG WebOS operating system is immensely robust and incredibly responsive. This makes it easy to navigate and find what you’re looking for. And LG’s audio guidance function is available right out of the box! This TV is also compatible with Google Voice Assistant, easily one of the best voice control platforms around. So you can interface with it, without having to touch a thing.
We were consistently impressed by this TV, as well as LG’s overall commitment to accessibility. A number of excellent features have helped to make LG a top name for TVs for the sight impaired. But of all of their many TVs, this is one of the absolute best!
TCL 50C805K 50 Inch C805K 4K QLED
Despite not being an OLED TV, the 50C805K from TCL is still fantastic when it comes to visual contrast. Every image is bursting with immense detail, which makes it much easier to follow the action on screen. That’s what helped to make this one of our absolute favourite contenders.
This TV also has it where it counts when it comes to sound. Built-in ONKYO speakers are able to recreate sound with absolute realism, so that not only can you follow on-screen action, but you can hear it too!
Solid voice controls can be a big help for the sight impaired. If you want your new TV to be simple to control, it’s worth looking for compatibility with your favourite voice assistants.
The 50C805K is also compatible with Google Voice Assistant out of the box, or can even be paired with Alexa if need be! This makes it a very flexible option for making the most of voice controls. Whichever voice control platform you feel most comfortable using can easily be paired with this TV, for seamless control of everything!
It’s also compact and light enough to easily be wall-mounted. Wall-mounting your TV is a great option because it allows you to adjust your viewing angle for greater clarity wherever you’re positioned.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Should You Consider In A TV For The Sight Impaired?
Visual impairments can make it difficult to navigate through digital interfaces and menus. As such, a TV for the sight impaired should be as easy as possible to control. Voice controls can help a lot towards this end. They allow you to easily navigate your way to specific content, or make changes to your settings, without having to touch a thing!
Can You Get A TV Licence If You Are Severely Sight Impaired?
If you are visually impaired, there’s nothing stopping you from applying for a TV Licence. In fact, if you have a significant visual impairment, you can actually get a TV Licence for half of the usual cost. This is a great deal, so you can still enjoy your favourite content from platforms like the BBC!
