MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — A new tool is changing how people with vision loss experience their surroundings.
AI-powered glasses are now being rolled out to graduates of a local guide dog program, helping them gain even more independence.
Yvonne Guettler and her guide dog Fleury are a strong team. Through Dogs Inc, the two were paired in 2024 with the goal of helping Yvonne navigate daily life.
She has macular dystrophy, an eye disorder that causes central vision loss.
“Everything is fairly blurry,” she said. “I can see colors with good contrast. And I can see large things that are not too far away from me. But detail is difficult.”
Now, she’s adding another layer of support.
“Hey Meta, tell me what’s in front of me,” she says walking and while using AI-powered glasses that describe her surroundings out loud. It helps her better understand what’s around her.
Dogs Inc is starting to hand the glasses out to graduates. Officials said 15 people are using them so far.
“Being with Fleury keeps me safe and gets me where I need to go, but I’ll be able to enjoy the environment more,” Guettler said. “I think that they want to read signs and see detail or have it described in detail to me.”
Dogs Inc received a donation to help buy the glasses. Training workshops started in February.
Dogs Inc plans to expand the program, with a goal of outfitting all 400+ of its graduates with AI glasses eventually. (Spectrum News/Julia Hazel)
The organization plans to expand, with a goal of outfitting all 400+ of its graduates with glasses eventually.
“They give them the ability to just be independent and read their emails, read their mail, read a menu at a restaurant,” she said. “I think independence is key to why they’re so important.”
The glasses also help her read things that were previously difficult.
“I’m excited about the independence. Maybe it will give me the ability to do some things, in conjunction with my guide dog, to be a partner with him,” she said.
Dogs Inc will be at the Florida Council of the Blind Convention next month, where they will have a booth to offer smart glasses training for their graduates.