Easier Reading with See-N-Read tools

     When I was 17, I was diagnosed with a visual tracking disorder, much to my surprise.  It might have been noticed when I was younger, if I had an eye exam earlier in childhood, but I always passed the school vision "exams", so no one knew that I needed glasses. 

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    By the way, don't trust the school vision exams.  I should NOT have learned to drive without glasses.  It scares me now that I was attempting to drive around town and out in the country without them.  I remember my dad saying to me, "Didn't you see that deer?  You should have slowed down!" 

     And no, I hadn't seen the deer...or the sign...or lots of other things that are important to observe while driving.

                     Yikes!

     My oldest daughter also has this same visual tracking disorder.  Thankfully, our educational strengths are in language and reading, so we must have wanted to read badly enough to overcome our "disorders."  Ha! 

      The optometrist asked me if I enjoyed reading and doing any close-up work like stitching or art.  When I responded with a wholehearted, "Yes!" he was surprised.  He told me that most people with my vision problem do NOT like to read or do anything that requires close-up work.

     Over the years, the only difficulties I've had after getting my first pair of glasses is that it is challenging for me to follow a string of numbers or objects without my finger helping me count them.  Or reading a lengthy chart that has small print.  Or...well, actually quite a few things, including reading some web pages, too.  I can do it, but it is not as easy for me as I'd like.  It slows me down.

     While this isn't medical advice, I recommend that each child be taken to see an optometrist just prior to starting kindergarten.  It is amazing how many children should be wearing glasses, but no one realizes that they need them until they are a bit older.

The See-N-Read Reading Tool

     As a member of the TOS Crew, I was given the opportunity to use and review three products from See-N-Read this last month.  The first product is their See-N-Read Reading Tool. 

     The See-N-Read Reading Tool is a solid plastic non-glare tinted transparent rectangle with a one-line clear reading window.  It has been designed to be non-glare to eliminate reading and vision difficulties.  Readers can clearly focus on the open, white space as they read text, but their eyes may also glance ahead at what they will be reading next to help with context cues.

     When my younger, more distractible daughter was reading a couple of years ago, she struggled with staying focused and also with pages that seemed "too white" or had any type of glare.  This particular See-N-Read Reading Tool would have helped her tremendously back then.  At her age now, she finally doesn't need something like this as much, but she did like trying it out anyway.  It definitely wasn't distracting or frustrating to her when she gave it a try. 

     The See-N-Read® Reading Tool comes in the following sizes:

• book size (5.5 inch X 3 inch) for smaller-size books and reading materials
  
• document size reading tool (8.5 inch X 3 inch) for full-size books (including children's picture books), documents, spreadsheets and larger reading materials
  
• A two-size combination pack containing one of each of the two sizes
  

The See-N-Read MemoryMark Tool

     The See-N-Read® MemoryMark™ is a similar tool in both sizes, but the clear reading window has been cut out on one line so a person is able to use this open line for highlighting text with a marker, pen, or highlighter.  The MemoryMark™ sells for the same prices as the See-N-Read Reading Tool. 

eSee-N-Read Electronic
Reading & Instruction Tool for PCs

     The third product I received from See-N-Read was a digital download of their Electronic Reading Tool.  This is the one tool that is most helpful for me these days!  Even with bifocals, using the computer at mid-range vision is not always easy for me.  By occasionally using this eReader, it allowed me to track lines and words with more ease, especially when I was tired.  This program can rest in the Taskbar of PCs so that when I am online or working on my computer, I can set it to work at full screen, although I can adjust the size smaller, if desired.  It automatically adjusts to fit the lines of text that I'm reading. 

     Here is a screenshot of my homepage here with the eSee-N-Read Electronic Tool being used as I focus on the homepage of JoyInOurJourney.com: 

     I like the fact that I can still read "through" the eSee-N-Read without distraction, yet it allows me to focus on a specific line of text.  I'm planning to learn more about using Excel in the next few months, and I can see that this tool will be a huge help to my poor, aging eyes (!) as I work on spreadsheets.  Without it, trying to maintain the correct place on the page will be more challenging.

     If you'd like to learn more about See-N-Read and their tools to assist middle-aged folks like me (!!!) or young readers who have difficulty tracking from word to word or line to line, I think these three products have tremendous potential!  You can use any of these contacts, below, to learn more about this company's products.  I do recommend all three of these tools! 

http://www.see-n-read.com/
[email protected]
Telephone: 630-236-5592
Fax: 630-236-5593

Disclosure:  See-N-Read provided me with free See-N-Read reading tools for the purpose of our family's use and review of these products.  No other compensation was provided.

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