Independent practice helps partially sighted woman regain confidence using smart eyewear

An independent optometry practice in Greater Manchester has revealed how it helped a partially sighted local woman regain her independence and confidence through the use of smart eyewear.

Abra & Co Opticians’ Middleton practice helped Carol Peers to regain her confidence in navigating daily life via Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.

Peers had begun to find daily tasks, including seeing bus numbers, accessing printed information and recognising signs, difficult after losing much of her vision.

Her reduced vision was causing her to lack confidence when going out independently, and she was finding it difficult to read.

She visited Abra & Co Opticians in Middleton after being recommended the practice by a friend.

At the practice, James Hooper, trainee dispensing optician, introduced Peers to Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, including how the product’s built-in artificial intelligence (AI) technology would be able to provide real-time descriptions of the world around her.

The team spent four hours with Peers, setting up the glasses, personalising them to her specific needs, and connecting them to her phone.

The team was also able to show Peers how the glasses’ AI features – including being able to see bus numbers, read menus and describe surroundings through photographs – could assist her in everyday situations.

Peers said: “Losing my sight had really affected my confidence and independence. Things that most people take for granted, like catching the right bus or reading information when I’m out, became incredibly difficult.

“The team at Abra & Co were so patient and supportive. They didn’t just hand me the glasses – they spent hours making sure I understood how to use them and that they worked for me. It's made such a difference to my everyday life.”

Peers is now able to use the assistive technology alongside her guide dog, Bagel (pictured).

Abra & Co Opticians is a Hakim group practice, with locations in Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Yorkshire.

Sohail Khan, director at Abra & Co Opticians, said: “Technology like this has enormous potential, but it’s only truly life-changing when patients are supported to use it in a way that suits their individual needs.

“For Carol, it wasn’t about selling a pair of glasses – it was about restoring confidence and helping her regain some of the independence she had lost.”

Khan added: “Seeing her use the glasses to read bus numbers, understand her surroundings, and access printed information was incredibly rewarding for the whole team.”

He emphasised: “Artificial intelligence is transforming healthcare in so many ways, and this is a wonderful example of how it can be used to improve someone’s quality of life. For the right patient, it can be genuinely life-changing.”