Magnifying glasses with light are a very popular and a wise choice for a visually impaired person!
There are 2 options here:
- Hand held optical magnifying glasses with light. (Budget friendly, suitable for mild vision loss.)
- Digital magnifiers (Pricier, but MUCH stronger. Suitable for more severe vision loss or keen readers.)
Scroll down to find my top picks
Why use a lighted magnifying glass?
It will give you much better results than a non-lighted one.
When a light is built into the magnifier it means you don’t have to worry about physically moving to a brighter location to read.
Even if you are in a bright room, when you hold the magnifier your hand blocks the light.
A bright, built in LED light increases the contrast on the page and makes it easier to see and read.
What powers lighted magnifiers?
They are typically battery operated, with AA or AAA batteries that need to be replaced from time to time.
What kind of lights are used?
Most lighted magnifying glasses use LED lights. This stands for Light Emitting Diodes.
LED lights are particularly energy efficient, using approximately 85% less energy than other types of lighting. LED lights also have a much longer lifespan than other types of lighting.
So with LED lights both the light bulbs and the batteries will last longer.
Another benefit is that LEDs are “directional” light sources. This means they emit light in a particular direction. With a magnifier this means the light is pointed in the direction of the object you want to look at to give a better viewing result.
My Recommendations
Top lighted magnifier pick
Magnifying Glass with LED Light and Interchangeable Heads
- Interchangeable illuminated heads
- 2.5x, 5x and 16x lenses
- Use different sizes for different sized print and different tasks
- Bonus credit card sized magnifier, carry bag and cleaning cloth
- Requires 3 standard AAA batteries
- Money back satisfaction guarantee
- Economic magnifying glass bundle with 3 in 1
- Able to buy online and have it delivered to you.
Top lighted magnifier pick for very mild vision loss
Fancii Illuminated LED Handheld Magnifying Glass Set
- Interchangeable illuminated heads
- 2x, 3.5x and 10x lenses
- Use different sizes for different sized print and different tasks
- Money back satisfaction guarantee
- Economic magnifying glass bundle with 3 in 1
- Quality glass lens
- Able to buy online and have it delivered to you.
Top lighted magnifier pick for moderate vision loss
AboveTEK Handheld 4.2-Inch 20X Magnifying Loupe
- 20x magnification
- very bright with 12 LED lights
- 4.2″ diameter lens
- 8″ length
- durable, scratch and shatter resistant acrylic lens
- Requires 2 AA batteries
- Able to buy online and have it delivered to you.
Top quality lighted magnifier – mild vision loss
Eschenbach Mobilux Pocket LED Illuminated Magnifier
- 3.5x magnification
- Dimensions: 8.3″ x 3″ x 1.6″
- Very lightweight – 4.8 ounces
- Bright LED illumination
- High quality, German made. This is the brand recommended by optometrists.
- Eschenbach costs more but is top of the line beyond going to a digital magnifier.
- Able to buy online and have it delivered to you.
Top quality lighted magnifier – moderate vision loss
Eschenbach Mobilux LED 38D 10x 35mm 151110
- 10x magnification
- Dimensions: 6.5″ x 3″ x 1.5″
- Very lightweight – 3 ounces
- Bright LED illumination
- High quality, German made magnifying glass. This is the brand recommended by optometrists.
- Eschenbach costs more but is top of the line beyond going to a digital magnifier.
- Able to buy online and have it delivered to you.
Best Digital Magnifiers
The also have a bright, lighted screen to enhance the brightness of the display.
If you want very strong magnification, like very high contrast, or do large amounts of reading, see the page on digital magnification to look at these solutions for low vision.
Another alternative to a lighted magnifier, is to use a desk light with a magnifying glass built in, or simply a bright lamp. See the section on other low vision products for lamp recommendations.