The Low Vision App You Probably Don’t Expect Me to Love

There’s no shortage of apps designed to support people with visual impairments.
You’ve got the familiar built-ins, like Apple’s Magnifier, and specialist tools like Be My Eyes, which connects you with volunteers who can describe what’s in front of you.

But my favourite low-vision app?
It’s probably not the one you think.

It’s called NowYouSee – Helping Colourblind on iOS.

NowYouSee - Helping Colourblind App Logo


If you’re on Android, Colour Blind Pal works in a very similar way. 
Colour Blind Pal App Logo

Here’s the twist:
I’m not colourblind.

So why on earth is this my go-to app?

Why I Use a Colourblindness App for Low Vision

I have Usher syndrome, which includes Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). RP is a progressive sight-loss condition that first steals your peripheral vision, then gradually eats away at your central vision too. Eventually, it could cause total blindness for some people. 

Right now, my peripheral vision is long gone. I estimate I have around five degrees of vision left—basically a tiny tunnel in the middle of what used to be my field of view.

The cells that process colour—the cones—are concentrated in the centre of your retina.
And guess what? That’s exactly the part of my vision that’s deteriorating now. 

Some days, I can still see colours fairly well, but I need high contrast for them to really stand out. Other days, my colour perception drops dramatically. My vision impairment (VI) specialist teacher when I was at sixth form even noticed I’d developed a red–green weakness—when red and green are side by side, I tend to see the red much more strongly than the green.

This means colours don’t just look dull or faded—they can blur together, shift, and sometimes become impossible to tell apart, especially in low light or on patterned backgrounds.

How the App Helps

NowYouSee was built to help people with colour vision deficiencies identify and distinguish colours. You point your phone’s camera at something, and the app applies filters that make certain colours stand out more clearly.

Image shows the filter in action, Google

It does have a colour name feature, but it doesn’t speak the colour aloud. On days when I’m relying heavily on my screen reader, that makes it less practical. That’s when I switch to Envision AI, which gives me a spoken colour name instantly.

Even so, NowYouSee is my go-to for quick, clear visual differentiation.

Here are just a few examples of when it’s been invaluable:

  • Checking outfits work together: I might not use NowYouSee when clothes shopping, but I’ll use it at home to see if the colours in my outfit actually match.

  • Gardening: My love of flowers means I want to know what colour they are, even if I can’t see them clearly anymore.

  • Board games with friends and family: Whether it’s Ticket to Ride or Tiki Topple, being able to identify game pieces quickly makes it so much more fun and less frustrating.

  • Revealing hidden photo details: I can import a picture and spot details I missed before, simply because the filters make the colours and shapes pop.

And because the app is so quick and intuitive, I can use it without fiddling with lots of menus or settings. It’s just tap, point (or import), see the difference.

Why This Matters

It’s easy to assume low-vision tools are all about magnification or contrast adjustments.
But for many of us, it’s the specific challenges—like losing colour accuracy—that cause the most day-to-day frustration.

An app designed for one condition (colourblindness) can unexpectedly become perfect for another (progressive sight loss).

That’s why I love NowYouSee: it’s not just clever tech, it’s a reminder that accessibility isn’t one-size-fits-all. Sometimes the most useful tools come from thinking outside the diagnosis. Will you give NowYouSee - Helping Colourblind a try? Or even Envision AI?

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