High-tech glasses help low-vision students read

LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Thirteen-million Americans over the age of 45 suffer from some type of "low vision." That includes those who've lost their sight due to diabetes, macular degeneration or glaucoma. But low vision can affect younger people too. Now there's a new high-tech pair of glasses helping young students keep up in class.

Last year, Dr. Adam Esbenshade diagnosed Alexis London with an inoperable brain tumor along her optic pathway.

"If we're not able to stop the growth of this tumor, it will be a life-threatening situation," said Esbenshade.

Alexis's mom says a year's worth of chemotherapy stopped the growth, but it hasn't been easy.

"Chemo was a really hard road. And watching her lose her eyesight," she said.

"My sight is pretty much like 20 percent in this eye and pretty much blind in that eye," said Alexis.

Now new technology is giving Alexis hope. A special pair of glasses that allows Alexis to do her homework without a magnifying glass.

"It's a lot easier too than making it big and everything. I can actually read the small print," said Alexis.

Dr. Jeffrey Sonsino created the illuminated Low Vision Readers. LED lights and prism correction help people who aren't helped by traditional lenses.

"This came about because we couldn't get people reading the way we wanted them to," said Sonsino.

For Alexis, it's a reason to cheer.

The Low Vision Readers cost less than $400 and allow Alexis to return to using textbooks at school instead of highly enlarged text on her iPad.