Phase I of this research program has demonstrated the feasibility of producing useful fiber optic magnifiers designed to facilitate reading for low vision patients at a cost of less than $200. Phase II will continue the investigation of taper designs, materials, process variables and manufacturing methods to achieve the target production costs of $50 per tapered magnifier. In particular, a more efficient, higher productivity tapering process and apparatus will be developed. It is proposed to optimize taper magnifier manufacture, and hence reduce their cost to $50/ unit by attempting to eliminate manufacturing steps and wasted material. Taper designs will be developed to improve their application to aid visually impaired persons to read various printed materials. This will include means for maximizing image contrast, for example. New rectangular taper configurations will be developed to enhance their use for reading typical printed matter.Taper magnifiers with various optimal parameters will be tested with a well defined experimental protocol on a variety of patients and selected ocularly normal subjects.
