Written by Mike Price, OT
Struggling to read the dial on your wristwatch can be frustrating, especially for those with visual impairments caused by aging or conditions like retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration (ARMD), glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Low-vision watches help individuals regain their independence by making it easier to tell time without assistance. When shopping for a low-vision watch, it's important to consider features like larger faces, high-contrast numbers, and audible time announcements.
 | 1) Reizen Watch - Illuminated White Dial with Black Numbers View Product |
Available in a variety of styles to suit personal needs and preferences, low-vision watches offer multiple options to make telling time simpler for people with visual impairment. One of the best things about low-vision watches is that most of them look just like regular watches, so there’s no stigma or embarrassment attached to wearing them for people who are sensitive about their loss of vision.
Low-vision watches sometimes have oversized faces or dials compared to standard watches, with a larger viewing area that’s easier to see.
Almost all low-vision watches use larger-sized and/or thicker numbers, either in Arabic or Roman, which makes it simpler for low-vision users to read. Arabic numerals are generally preferred by older adults or those living with intellectual impairments because they’re the most immediately recognizable.
Most low-vision watches provide high contrast between the watch face and the watch numbers, using black on white, white on black, or black on yellow to make the time easier to view.
Some low-vision watches provide an illumination feature, backlighting the dial face to make it easier for users to view in dim light or at night.
Many low-vision watches include an audible talking feature, allowing visually impaired users to hear the time, day, and date. This feature also enables users to set alarms without viewing the watch.
The bands for low-vision watches usually comprise leather, chrome, or steel, coming in stylish, modern, utilitarian, or classically elegant formats to suit every outfit and occasion. Look for expandable bands to ensure customized adjustability and the perfect fit.
Some low-vision watches offer resistance against moisture, helping to repel water for people using them in wet environments or who may forget to remove the watch before washing dishes, swimming, or other water-related activities.
The movement of a watch refers to the caliber or engine of a watch that lets it function and supplies power to any additional features it may have.
Mechanical movements are often found in luxury watches and are desired for their high level of quality and craftsmanship. These watches typically have more moving parts and are sometimes wound manually rather than being supplied by a power source such as a battery. Some mechanical movements are also automatic, however, and operate with the inclusion of a rotor to power the watch.
Quartz movements are exceptionally precise. They use a quartz crystal and a battery to keep time. When an electrical current runs through it, it vibrates at an almost perfectly constant frequency, making this movement one of the most desirable in watches.
Analog watches have a traditional clock face display with either Arabic or Roman numerals and two or three hands that point to the hour, minute, and second, while digital watches show the time in Arabic digits, usually in a type of LED display. Older adults and those with intellectual disabilities may understand and prefer an analog watch, as that might be what they’re most used to.
Low vision is a vision condition that makes it harder to perform everyday activities. People with low vision may not see well enough to drive, read, watch TV, or view a computer screen clearly. They may also have difficulties with color and face recognition. The most common types of low vision include central vision loss, peripheral vision loss, night blindness, and blurry or hazy vision.
Loss of sight that’s not correctable with eyeglasses, contact lenses, medication, or surgery is considered low vision. Because some sight is retained and can often be improved with the use of visual aids, this type of vision loss does not include complete blindness.
The American Optometric Association defines low vision as partially sighted and legally blind. When people have visual acuity between 20/70 and 20/200 with conventional prescription lenses, they are considered partially sighted. When people have visual acuity no better than 20/200 with conventional prescription correction and/or a restricted field of vision less than 20 degrees wide, this is considered legally blind.
 | Easy Reader Low Vision Watch for Men by Timex View Product |
The Easy Reader Low Vision Watch for Men by MaxiAids is our number 5 option. It offers a straightforward and convenient way to tell time, making it ideal for individuals with visual impairments. This analog wristwatch features a large, easy-to-read dial and a date display at 3:00, which can be quickly adjusted using the quick date function. Its water resistance and one-touch Indigo nightlight add to its practicality, allowing users to see the time clearly in low-light conditions. The watch's mineral crystal lens and classy gold-colored metal expansion band provide durability and style. Additionally, the easy slip-on design ensures a hassle-free experience for the wearer.
 | Low Vision Watch - Ladies Indiglo Watches from Timex View Product |
Our number 4 choice, the Timex Indiglo Ladies Watch by MaxiAids, provides a stylish and low-vision-friendly option for those seeking an elegant accessory. These watches feature easy-to-read numbers on contrasting white quartz faces, ensuring visibility for users with visual impairments. The built-in, one-touch nightlight enhances readability in low-light conditions. These watches offer casual and classy wear options, which are available with either a leather band with a chrome frame or a gold-tone expandable stainless steel band. The time is easily adjusted using a knob on the right-hand side.
 | Mens Timex Indiglo Watches View Product |
The Men's Timex Indiglo Watches make our list at number 3 with their feature-rich design, which provides a wide range of benefits for low-vision wearers. Its convenient backlit illumination makes telling time in the dark or at night a much easier proposition, making this a great choice for users who need a watch for nighttime activities. Its expandable band configuration ensures a great fit for most users, facilitating personalized comfort for long periods of wear.
This innovative Timex watch also offers larger black numbers on a white face that is easily read in daylight hours. It conveniently provides day and date functionality that’s easy to adjust with the Quick Date/Quick Day feature, displaying the date's numeric digits and the day's first three letters. Stylishly designed with a durable stainless steel band and a chrome case in a silver aesthetic, this visual impairment watch is water-resistant for added protection during wet weather or while washing dishes.
 | Low Vision Two-Tone Expansion Band Watch for Women View Product |
Grabbing the second spot in our review, the Low Vision Two-Tone Expansion Band Watch for Women provides high contrast to ensure easy viewing for low-vision users. This ladies' watch can be selected with either a white face and high-contrast black numbers or a black face with high-contrast white numbers to meet different user preferences for low vision time readability.
Elegant and attractive with its chrome and gold-tone expansion band and case accents, this beautiful watch can blend with several outfits and jewelry for casual and formal wear. Its band expands to provide a comfortable fit for most users. Along with its high-contrast design, the numbers are also large and easy to read, with the thicker hour and minute hands allowing for easier reading of the time.
 | Reizen Watch - Illuminated White Dial with Black Numbers View Product |
Because it combines many of the beneficial features of the other watches in our review, the Reizen Watch easily earns our number one spot. Its extra-wide dial is exceptionally easy to view for low-vision users, and the design is gender-neutral and unisex, so it can comfortably be worn by anyone.
Its larger black numbers on the white dial face create great, high contrast for clearer visibility, while the thicker, bolder black minute and hour hands further enhance the ability of low-vision wearers to tell time. The dial's backlit illumination ensures easy visibility in the dark or at night.
Stylishly designed with a gold-tone-accented case and black leather band, this watch can be worn for any occasion and will match a wide variety of attire. The band is adjustable to fit most wrist sizes. Durably configured to ensure long-lasting functionality and performance, this popular watch from Reizen comes with a one-year warranty to ensure its dependability.
Low-vision watches provide people with low vision an independent way to tell time. Whether vision loss has occurred gradually or all at once, low-vision watches offer several different design features to support users in their daily lives and help them retain or regain the ability to know what time it is without asking for assistance.
All of the large-number watches for visually impaired users in our review could potentially be the best option for individuals with low vision, depending on their particular needs and preferences.
However, we consider the best overall low-vision watch option to be the Reizen Watch. Delivering many of the same beneficial functions and design highlights as its counterparts in this review, this low-vision watch has it all! Wearable by every gender, this watch comes with an oversized dial, extra-large black minute/hour hands, and numbers on a white dial face for high contrast. Its illumination is easy to use by pushing a button to ensure easy time-telling in dark places, while its leather band is adjustable to fit most wrists.
Learn more about low-vision watches and how low-vision aids can help you, and find more caregiving tips and buying guides at Caregiver University!
Co-Founder of Rehabmart and an Occupational Therapist since 1993. Mike has spent his professional career working in multiple areas of Occupational Therapy, including pediatrics, geriatrics, hand therapy, ergonomics and inpatient / outpatient rehabilitation. Mike enjoys writing articles that help people solve complex therapeutic problems and make better product choices.
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