What Effect Does Increased Magnification Have on the Field of Vision

Magnification is most easily appreciated when looking through a magnifying lens. A magnifying lens makes whatever someone is looking at appear larger. The more magnification a magnifying glass provides, the smaller the field of vision will be through the magnifier.

Low-Powered Magnifier

• An example of a low-powered magnifier is one that provides 2x magnification. This would make whatever someone is viewing through the magnifier appear two times larger than normal. The object being viewed through the magnifier takes up twice as much space in the lens as it would were it not magnified. This reduces the field of vision.

High-Powered Magnifier

• An example of a high powered magnifier is a 10x magnifier. This makes an object appear 10 times larger than normal when viewed through the magnifier. The image of that object would take up 10 times more room in the field of vision than it would normally. A person would see only a small portion of the object, but they would see it in great detail.

Low Vision Aids

• Magnifiers are commonly used to help people with low vision. These people must be careful when choosing magnification power so they do not limit their field of view too severely.