RealSAM US

07/13/2026

More than 37 million Americans have diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy (the leading cause of vision loss among working-age adults) affects more than 7 million Americans.

The thing most people don't know: in the early stages, there are often no symptoms at all.

A dilated eye exam once a year is the most important step anyone with diabetes can take to protect their vision. Early detection means early treatment. And early treatment works.

If you or someone you love has diabetes and hasn't had an eye exam recently, this is a reminder to book one today.

07/11/2026

🔎Did you know🔎 that you can point RealSAM at anything: a letter, a medicine bottle, a restaurant menu, a street sign, an expiry date, and it will describe whatever it's pointed at to you? Out loud. By voice.

Not only that, it can answer any questions you have about the image or text.

It's called Sight Assistant. Most of our users say it's the feature they didn't know they needed until they had it.

What would you use it for first?

07/09/2026

July is UV Safety Month 👀 🕶 ☀️

Most people know sunscreen. Fewer people know that UV exposure is one of the leading risk factors for cataracts — and that long-term UV damage can accelerate age-related macular degeneration.

Two things that actually help: 100% UV-blocking sunglasses (not just dark lenses; the UV protection is separate from the tint), and a wide-brimmed hat.

When was your last dilated eye exam? If you can't remember, this is your sign to book one today.

07/09/2026

Mental health is something that doesn't get talked about enough alongside vision loss.

The isolation. The frustration of tasks that used to take thirty seconds now taking five minutes. The quiet grief of things becoming harder.

More than a third of people with significant vision loss experience depression or anxiety, often without support specifically connected to the vision loss itself.

The American Foundation for the Blind (afb.org) and VisionAware (aph.org/visionaware) both have mental health resources specifically for blind and visually impaired people. You don't have to navigate this alone.

Read the full blog post via this link: https://realsam.us/vision-loss-mental-health-depression-anxiety-support/

Vision loss and mental health are closely linked, but rarely discussed together. We've created a support guide.

07/04/2026

Happy Fourth of July from all of us at RealSAM. 🇺🇸

Independence Day is one of the great American traditions: fireworks, family, food, and the reminder that freedom is worth fighting for. We hope wherever you are today, you're celebrating with the people you love.

The word "independence" means something a little different to us, and to the blind and visually impaired community we build every day.

For many of our users, independence isn't a once-a-year celebration. It's making a call without asking for help. Reading your own mail. Getting out the door and knowing where you're going.

That's what we work toward, 365 days a year.

Happy Fourth. Here's to independence—in every sense of the word.

07/03/2026

🌟 July is Disability Pride Month, observed every year to mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, signed on July 26, 1990.

36 years on, the ADA has changed what's possible for millions of Americans with disabilities. Accessible buildings. Accessible workplaces. The legal framework that says: You belong here too.

Technology still has a long way to go. But the direction is right.

To everyone in the blind and visually impaired community: we see you. We support you. Happy Disability Pride Month. ❤️

06/15/2026

When people search for devices for blind people, they're usually looking for one thing: something that makes daily life easier.

Reading their own mail 📩. Identifying medication 💊. Making a phone call without help 📞. Getting through the morning without having to ask someone for assistance 🍳.

The honest answer is that no single device does everything — and the right one depends on how much vision someone has, how comfortable they are with technology, and which tasks they need support with most.

We've written a practical guide to assistive technology for vision loss — what the options actually do, and what questions to ask before you choose. No jargon, no pressure.

Read our full blog post via this link: https://realsam.us/phone-for-blind-seniors/

06/13/2026

Most people think birding season ends with spring migration. It doesn't.

June is actually one of the best months to learn birding by ear — fewer overlapping songs, a cleaner soundscape, and easier to pick out each species. By July and August, goldfinches, waxwings, and waterbirds are all active and vocal.

You don't need to see a bird to identify it. The Merlin Bird ID app (free, Cornell Lab) identifies birdsong in real time and works with screen readers.

A bench, some shade, and headphones. That's the whole setup.

Read our whole guide to practical, accessible summer activities for people experiencing vision loss via this link: https://realsam.us/summer-activities-for-blind-and-visually-impaired-people-a-practical-2026-guide/

06/09/2026

Summer shouldn’t have to mean staying in for anyone.

From accessible national park trails with audio description and tactile maps, to audio described theatre and outdoor festivals, to birding by ear on a park bench — there are more options than most people realise.

We've put together a practical guide: real resources, named organisations, and the information you'd actually need to plan something. Not inspiration. Just useful.

Read more via the link in our bio.

🍉🍓🥥🌺🐚🌴🌷🌻🐠🦩🐝🦔☀️🌊

06/05/2026

Independence doesn't disappear with vision loss, but it changes.

Often it's the small things that matter most: reading your own mail, identifying medication, checking a label, making a call without asking someone to dial for you.

For a lot of people, these aren't dramatic losses. They accumulate quietly. And the point at which they start to affect daily life is usually the point at which families start looking for answers.

The good news is that the options are better than most people expect — and more affordable too, for many US families, through VA programs, state vocational rehab, and other assistance.

We've put together a practical guide on living independently with vision loss, which you can read via this link: https://realsam.us/assistive-technology-for-vision-loss-technology-that-supports-independence/