A survey on the use of mobile applications for the people who are visually impaired

Introduction: Persons with visual impairment use mobile phones and applications (Apps) to assist them in their daily living activities. Literature indicates that there are no studies conducted with persons with visual impairment concerning mobile app usage. Methods: A total 259 participants with visual impairment completed an online survey on the current use of mobile devices, and general and special apps, including their perceptions of the apps. Statistics were calculated to summarize participants’ demographics and their use of mobile devices and apps and to determine whether there are significant associations between demographic characteristics and mobile device and app use. Results: The participants rated special apps as a useful (95.4%) and accessible (91.1%) tool for visually impaired individuals. More than 90% of the middle-aged adult group strongly agreed with the practicality of special apps, which was a significantly higher percentage than observed in the young and old adu