NEW Meta AI Glasses
Meta AI glasses have helped transform how people with vision loss interact with the world around them. This easy-to-use, hands-free technology allows individuals who are visually impaired to ask for assistance describing their surroundings, reading written text, and navigating daily tasks with greater confidence and independence.
At Voyage Eye Care, we have successfully used these glasses with people at all levels of vision loss, from low vision to complete blindness.
How do they work?
Meta glasses act like a personal assistant to help answer questions as you go about your day. The glasses include a small camera built into the front of the frame. Similar to Alexa®, Google®, or Siri®, the wearer can activate the system by saying “Hey Meta” or by gently pressing on the side (temple) of the glasses.
The camera can take a photo or use live video of your surroundings, allowing the glasses to answer questions about what you are looking at—such as reading text, identifying objects, or describing the environment around you.
The glasses respond through small speakers built into the arms of the frames. Only the person wearing the glasses can hear the response, providing privacy and comfort.
How Meta Glasses Help People with Vision Loss
Meta glasses use advanced AI technology to support people who are visually impaired in their everyday lives by providing information, independence, and confidence.
Describe your surroundings
Users can ask questions such as “What am I looking at?” or “What am I holding?” to receive clear, real-time descriptions of their environment and nearby objects.
Read and summarize text around you
The glasses can read text from menus, signs, brochures, airport gate displays, mail, fast-food menus, sports scores, recognize currency amounts and more. Unlike many traditional low-vision devices that read text word for word, Meta glasses first provide a brief summary of what you are viewing. This saves time and allows users to ask follow-up questions if they want more detail.
Hands-free voice control
Because the glasses are worn, users can interact completely hands-free. You can answer or decline phone calls, listen to music, and read or respond to text messages using simple voice commands.
Instant access to information
The glasses act as a personal assistant, providing immediate access to information from the internet. Users often ask questions like “What are today’s news headlines?” or “Tell me about the plant I’m looking at.” When traveling, the glasses can describe landmarks, monuments, and provide historical or contextual information.
Integration with low-vision apps
Meta glasses can connect with the Be My Eyes® app, allowing users to call a sighted volunteer through live video for real-time assistance when needed.
A discreet low-vision aid
Wearers appreciate that these glasses do not look like a medical or assistive device. Their familiar appearance helps users feel confident and comfortable using them in public.
Prescription lenses available
Meta glasses can be fitted with prescription lenses. While Ray-Ban offers prescription services, many low-vision prescriptions fall outside standard ranges. Voyage Eye Care can create custom prescription lenses through our in-house optical laboratory. Please call our office for more information.
Low Vision Meta Glasses Training
At Voyage Eye Care, we provide personalized, one-on-one training to set up your glasses and teach you how to use their features with confidence. Our experienced training team has worked with people of all levels of visual impairment and understands how to explain technology in a clear, patient, and supportive way.
There is no age limit for using these glasses. Anyone can learn to use them with proper guidance and motivation. People with all levels of visual impairment may benefit, and our team is here to help you every step of the way.
Pre-Purchase Training Session – Call For Pricing
- Because Voyage Eye Care is a mobile eye care business, we come to you for all training sessions. This one-hour hands-on session allows you to try the glasses before deciding to buy. It includes:
- Learning how to turn the glasses on and off
- Practicing voice commands to:
- Identify objects in your environment
- Read text from menus, signs, mail, or documents
- Ask questions about what you are looking at
- Exploring basic features such as listening to music, making phone calls, and responding to messages
- Guidance on whether the glasses are a good fit for your needs (no obligation to purchase)
- Frame try on – Wayfarer, Skyler, Headliner, Oakley Meta HSTN, Oakley Vanguard
- Please call to determine if you are within our radius of care.
Setup and Post-Purchase Training Session – Call For Pricing
- Personalized one-on-one training session after purchasing your glasses.
- Complete setup, including connecting the glasses to your smartphone and customizing settings.
- Step-by-step training to help you use all features confidently:
- Reading and summarizing text
- Identifying objects and surroundings
- Hands-free phone calls, text messaging, and music
- Accessing information from the internet and apps like Be My Eyes®
- Tips and practice to help integrate the glasses into your daily life.
- Ongoing support and troubleshooting guidance.
- Additional training sessions can be set up if needed to learn additional features.
- Please call to determine if you are within our radius of care.
User Experiences
One patient with light perception only vision was excited to see whether the glasses could help identify plants in her garden. As her vision had slowly declined, she found herself mixing up herbs and other plants. We gathered several plants from outside our office, and the glasses were able to correctly recognize and identify the different leaves with impressive accuracy.
Another patient with advanced macular degeneration was delighted to discover that the glasses could read handwritten cursive. This allowed her to “read” greeting cards and handwritten recipes passed down from her mother—something she thought she had lost forever.
One patient encountered a problem when his television displayed an error message that he could not see clearly. The glasses were able to read the message on the screen, allowing him to ask questions and figure out how to fix the issue—without needing outside help.
A patient with no light perception shared that he steps outside each day and asks the glasses, “What do the clouds look like today?” This gives him a way to experience the weather visually, rather than relying only on a spoken forecast.
FAQ
Can I try the glasses before deciding if they’re right for me?
Yes. We offer a one-hour demo and training session so you can comfortably try the glasses before purchasing. We take our time and explain everything step by step. During the session, you’ll learn how to turn the glasses on, use easy voice commands to read text and see your surroundings, listen to music, read and reply to text messages, and make or answer phone calls.
You do not need to be tech-savvy. We handle the setup and provide clear, patient instruction. If you decide the glasses are a good fit for you, we will gently walk you through the purchase process at the end of the session—there is no pressure to buy.
How can I purchase the glasses?
You can purchase the glasses directly from Ray-Ban, Meta or through our office, Voyage Eye Care. There is a 30 day return policy on the glasses if choose they are not a good fit for you. We recommend trying the glasses without prescription first to ensure you like the product and want to proceed with prescription lenses. Please call 248-733-4433.
Can I purchase the glasses through you?
Yes. Please call the office directly as the final price will be determined based on if you want prescription or non-prescription glasses. Voyage Eye Care is not limited to Ray-Ban’s prescription restrictions and will provide accurate measurements and quality lens products for you. We have full optical services so you can make the lenses single vision, bifocal, trifocals, progressive, tinted, blue light blocking and more. Please call 248-733-4433.
How do I set the glasses up?
We make the tech part easy and handle the setup of your glasses for you. During a dedicated training and setup session, we’ll connect the glasses to your smartphone, ensure everything is working properly, and walk you through each feature step by step. Our goal is to help you feel confident using your new glasses and get the most out of them.
Can the glasses read a document or book word for word?
Yes, the glasses work very well for reading documents and short pieces of text, such as letters, mail, menus, instructions, and forms.
For longer reading, such as books or novels, low vision doctors often recommend audiobooks instead. Audiobooks are read by professional narrators, actors, or authors, which makes the pacing, expression, and storytelling more natural and enjoyable than computer-generated reading from the glasses.
Many people with visual impairment qualify for free audiobooks through the Library of Congress. Enrollment requires meeting eligibility guidelines and having a healthcare professional verify your visual condition.
You can learn more about this free service here:
https://www.loc.gov/nls/who-we-serve/visually-impaired/
Do I need a Smartphone?
Yes! The only requirement for using Meta glasses is an operational smartphone, which can be a Google/Android phone or an iPhone.
During setup, you will need to have an active email address. As part of the training session, we will install the Meta App on your phone.
Do the glasses still work if I have hearing aids?
Yes! Meta glasses are designed to work with hearing aids. The glasses use small speakers built into the arms/temples, and the sound is directed toward your ears. Most users with hearing aids can hear the responses clearly. During your training session, we can help adjust settings to ensure the sound works well with your hearing aids.