 Surfing the Internet is great, but it can be
hard on aging eyes. Even with excellent eyesight, the small print on a
computer screen can cause eyestrain. By age 55 nearly 100% of the
population is affected by presbyopia
where small print becomes difficult to read and bifocals become a
necessity of life. Other vision problems like age-related macular
degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma can also be a detriment to using
a computer. Now, however, there is an inexpensive visual aid for aging
eyes and the Internet.
WebEyes is
a $24.95 downloadable software program that makes the size of Web text
adjustable and easier to read. It works with Windows and the Internet
Explorer Web browser. (Windows 98 or newer and Internet Explorer 5.5 or
newer). After the quick and easy installation, WebEyes appears as an
Internet Explorer toolbar.
From the toolbar, WebEyes
can be turned on or off. The large red plus and minus icons can be used
to adjust the size of the text. Text size from 4-144 points can also be
chosen manually from a drop-down box on the toolbar. WebEyes has an
excellent “Read Like a Book” feature. Click on the Book icon and the
Web page opens in a new window which formats the page contents it in
several columns like a book. This eliminates the constant page
scrolling that you might have to perform if you simply enlarge the
type. “Read Like a Book” also has the option of viewing text only, text
with illustrations, or text with markings where illustrations would be
on the Web site.
Since each Web page you visit is formatted
differently, WebEyes may show each in a different way. However WebEyes
almost always succeeds in making the text larger and easier to read. A
feature called Page Control will allow you to view the page just as it
is currently formatted, but you can move your mouse around the page to
see an enlarged portion of any part of the page.
WebEyes has two more things I really like. First, it
has excellent instructions. There is an interactive demo, detailed
download and installation instructions, and an easy-to-follow quick
start guide. Second, when the magnification takes place, the enlarged
text is smooth and sharp. There are no jagged edges that are often seen
with software magnification software.
Although WebEyes is made for use while on the
Internet, you can also use it to read other documents. If you want to
read a Word document you simply save it as an HTML document and open it
with Internet Explorer to read it. You can do this very easily. Simply
open the document, click on Save, then use the down arrow in the “Save
as type” box to save the document as a Web page. If you want to use
WebEyes to read your e-mail, you can open it as Internet mail, read it
with WebEyes and then download what you want to save into your own
e-mail program. Most ISP’s allow you to view your e-mail on the
Internet. A quick call to their tech support will tell you how to
access your e-mail on the Internet.
WebEyes
offers a 15-day free trial. After the trial you are asked to pay $24.95
for the program. If your need a little help in reading Web pages, you
will gladly pull out your wallet for this one!
CLICK HERE FOR FREE TRIAL
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