Need an EFFECTIVE magnifying glass!

Speak to your optometrist or your nearest agency for the visually impaired, really good magnifiers need to be fitted to the level of vision loss. There are also some really great digital options available now, both hand held and cctv styles.

Find an optometrist that specializes in "low vision". They are hard to find and you may need to travel but they can provide so much help. Your regular optometrist or ophthalmologist generally isn't aware of the special tools that are available for people with low vision. Contact the Lions Club and/or your State Agency for the Blind. They are usually very helpful in pointing you to the high quality tools and how to get them. The magnifiers available from Michael's or the cosmetic departments have too much distortion to really be helpful for someone with low vision. The high quality ones, although expensive, are much, much better. With a low quality one your mother will just say "it doesn't work" and give up. Good digital magnifiers are life changing for someone with low vision. My dad's been using one for about 8 years.

Have you tried the large ones that are usually sold in the cosmetic area? They have light and can be mounted on a hospital table for ease of use.

My dad used one that looked like a paperweight, it was about the size of a half baseball, he loved it. I think he bought it at a hardware store.

My Mother sewed alot and she had a magnifying glass with a light that hung around her neck like a necklace on a long cord and I think she bought it from Michael's or Hobby Lobby for about $20.00.

Many book stores sell a magnifier that is small and easily carried in a pocket or purse.

I bought a lighted one for DW at a different store so she could read the caller ID. She like it and I still use it. It is sold under the name of UltraOptix. I think it was an office supply store.

I recently was given one by a law firm that is plastic credit card size and it works.

Just look around and test drive in the store before buying.

I use a Carson 5x magnifier which has a small light on it, is small/pocket sized, and travels with me wherever I go.

https://www.amazon.com/Carson-MiniBrite-Lighted-Aspheric-Magnifier/dp/B00524H8MC/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1VYQTTJM4TGS6&keywords=carson+magnifying+glass+with+light&qid=1564429145&s=gateway&sprefix=carson+ma%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-4

If your mother needs a magnifying lamp or something larger, go to Amazon and punch in Carson Magnifying Lamp......lots of things will come up for you to look at. I go to a lot of estate sales & yard sales & am always looking for a GOOD magnifier that will help me see very small makers marks and things like that. Over the years, Carson is the one I go back to time & again.

Good luck!

My FIL who has RP uses an electronic tabletop magnifier. He loves it. Can put bills, books or anything under it. He bought it used on ebay for a couple hundred dollars. He has used it now for about 6 years. Very worth it.

I agree about trying to find a good quality one. We went through several, and Mom currently likes the “iMagniphy LED Illuminated Magnifying Glass Set. Best Magnifier with Lights for Seniors, Macular Degeneration, Reading and Hobbyists (2-Lens (10X + 5X))”
on Amazon. She said it works well as she read all types of print and electronic devices with it.
Hope this helps!

The link is:
https://www.amazon.com/iMagniphy-Illuminated-Magnifying-Magnifier-Degeneration/dp/B018I1S2Q6/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=imagnify+led+magnifying+glass&qid=1564443986&s=gateway&sprefix=imagnify&sr=8-3

I'd like to thank EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU who posted answers to my search for a magnifying glass for my dear mom!! I REALLY appreciate your taking the time to provide your input! I'll do my best to find one using your suggestions, and I'll be sure to let you know what I end up with! Again, thanks to you all, and have a good evening!

If you find one I would love to know. Big ones are distorted (like the whole page ones) and small ones are a pain. Like vacuum cleaners, I have never found the "right one".