A magnifier or telescope will last longer and will be safer if it is well looked after.
Magnifiers and telescopes should be cleaned and taken care of as follows:
- Clean the lens regularly with a soft cloth.
- Keep in a soft cover or bag when not in use.
Most magnifiers and telescopes cannot be repaired if broken, so a replacement is usually necessary.
Providing magnifiers and telescopes in schools
- Magnifiers and telescopes can make a huge difference for many children with low vision, especially at school. They can support children to be able to access information and participate in the classroom, and to interact with their peers more easily.
- Parents and teachers should be involved in understanding how the magnifier or telescope is used and taken care of, so that they can best support the child.
- Encourage parents and teachers to take note of any difficulties the child has when using their magnifier or telescope and listen to any complaints the child has. They can feed this back to you in follow up visits so together you can provide the best product for the child.
Instruction
Learn more about vision screening in school aged children, in the Vision and hearing screening for school-aged children course.
Meet Aaron
Aaron has low vision and uses prescription spectacles. He has also been provided with a dome magnifier and a handheld magnifier to use at school. His parents are worried that other children will want to play with the magnifiers, and may damage them. If the magnifiers are scratched, they will no longer work.
Question
What advice could you give to Aaron, his parents, and his teachers?
- You can teach Aaron how to take care of his magnifiers, and to keep them safely in their soft cases when he is not using them.
- Include Aaron’s parents and teachers when educating him about how to use and take care of his magnifiers, so they understand how they can support him.
- Teach Aaron, his parents and teachers that the magnifiers are important tools to help Aaron at school and are not toys to play with.