Content Comparison

Low-Vision Users

Low vision can include partial sight in one or both eyes, and range from mild to severe. It affects 246 million people, or about 4% of the world’s population.

How they experience an interface

• May use screen readers, screen magnifiers, high contrast modes, and/or monochrome displays.

• May have their browser font size adjusted to a larger setting.

• May not use adaptive technology at all.

What designers should think about

• Maximizing the readability and visual clarity of content.

• Consider how relative proximity of information changes when a page is magnified.

• Follow our keyboard guidelines.

• Test with a screen reader to ensure the page is read to the user in a logical order.

• To get a better understanding of the various low-vision disabilities, we recommend using the NoCoffee Chrome (or Firefox) plugin to preview websites.

How this applies to everyone

• Users without disabilities sometimes need to view screens in poor lighting conditions. For example, imagine using a device outside on a bright day. A higher-contrast design makes the screen more usable for everyone.

• Vision worsens gradually, starting around age 40, and good contrast helps this very large demographic to use your interface.