As eyesight deteriorates, reading print on surfaces becomes a challenge for the elderly.
It’s not just books and newspapers that become more difficult to read. They may also have trouble checking labels on products in the supermarket, reading instruction manuals, and checking the right medicine dosage on the label.
A magnifying glass is a simple and cheap tool, but it makes a big difference in life quality. You can keep enjoying books, catch up on news in the paper, read the TV guide and any other print around you.
Magnifying glasses come in different shapes and sizes. They are also available in different magnifications starting from 2X.
In this buying guide, we recommend the best magnifying glasses for the elderly that are available to buy online in the UK, and give you tips on how to choose the right one for your reading needs.
What to Consider When Choosing a Magnifying Glass for Elderly
A. Magnification
The most important thing to consider when choosing a magnifying glass is magnification. The magnification of a glass is the number of times the lens enlarges text.
A 2X magnifying glass makes text two times larger. A 10X glass makes text 10 times larger.
For most elderly users, a 2X or 3X magnifying glass is adequate for reading books, newspapers, labels and other things.
If you also dabble in hobbies that involve looking at tiny objects or text (such as artwork, jewelry, crafts, etc.), get a higher magnification glass with a power of 5X, 10X or more.
B. Number of Lenses
Most magnifying glasses have just one lense with a single magnification.
But some glasses have multiple lenses, each with a different magnification. A multi-lense magnifying glass is suitable if you need different magnification powers for different uses, e.g., 2X for reading, and 10X for appraising jewelry.
The secondary lenses are usually the high-power ones and are smaller. Often, the small high power lense is built into the handle. Sometimes, it can be within the larger main lens.
C. Shape and Size
Round magnifying glasses are the most common. They are great if you need to look at small pieces of text such as the label on a pill bottle. They are also ideal for artwork, jewelry and other crafts.
Because they tend to be small, round magnifying glasses are also highly portable. You can carry it in your bag or pocket and whip it out whenever you need to read something.
If you are an avid reader of books, magazines and newspapers, we recommend a rectangular magnifying glass. Get a large one that captures a large portion of the book or magazine. This ensures you don’t have to keep moving the glass around.
If you often read for hours, look for one of those rectangular magnifying glasses with a stand. You simply place it over a book and read.
D. Lens Quality
Avoid magnifying glasses that create distortion especially around the edges. This is a common problem with cheap magnifying glasses that use low quality lenses.
A good lense should show a clear image, allowing you to read text clearly.
E. Lightweight
Make sure the magnifying glass is light enough to hold in your hand for long periods. We recommend getting a magnifying glass that weighs 200 grams or less.
However, if you are buying a magnifying glass with a stand, you can afford to get something heavier since you don’t have to hold it.
F. Lighting
Lighting is a must-have feature (if you don’t have a good reading lamp). Specifically, look for a magnifying glass with LED lights. They are bright, but don’t use a lot of power. This makes it possible to power the lights with a couple of AA batteries.
Integrated LED lighting makes it easier to read text, especially in areas with little or no lighting.
Some magnifying glasses provide two or more lighting levels, allowing you to brighten or dim the lights as you wish.
Best Magnifying Glass for Elderly: Top 5 Reviews
1. Fancii Extra Large LED Handheld Magnifying Glass
The Fancii Extra Large handheld magnifying glass is the best choice for general use including reading, jewelry, and crafts.
The glass consists of three magnifying glasses, letting you choose different magnifications depending on your needs.
The primary lens is 5.5 inches wide and has a magnification power of 2X. It’s suitable for reading books, the paper, magazines and any other text.
Set within the primary lens is a small 1 inch wide lens with 4X magnification. Another even smaller 0.8 inch wide lens set within the handle provides 10X magnification.
The secondary lenses are far too small for reading a book or magazine. They are more suitable for examining jewelry, checking tiny prints on an old map and other crafts and hobbies.
The Fancii magnifying glass also comes with three bright LED lights located at the top of the handle. It would be better if the lights were located around the primary lens, similar to mosy magnifying glasses. This would cast light more evenly on the text you are reading.
But even as they are, the lights are pretty useful especially for seniors with poor eyesight.
Weighing just 163 grams, you won’t have trouble holding up the Fancii magnifying glass even for long periods.
Overall, the Fancii is a great choice if you are looking a versatile magnifying glass you can use for reading and other activities.
What we like about it:
- Very light.
- Versatile.
- Built-in LED lights.
2. Hands-Free Large Rectangular Full-Page Magnifier
This is the best magnifying glass for reading. Its large size – 11.8 by 8 inches – and rectangular shape allows you to read a full page of a book or magazine without constantly moving the magnifier.
In fact, you don’t have to hold the magnifying glass at all. It comes with a fold out stand that holds the glass over the page. You can also hang the magnifier from your neck using the included cord. However, users say the cord is too thin and digs into the neck.
For short reading periods, you can also just hold the magnifying glass in your hand. It weighs 340g.
The magnifying glass has a 2.5X magnification that’s enough to magnify small text to a comfortable size. It also has 12 LED lights around the edges to illuminate the reading area. There’s a toggle switch to brighten or dim the lights.
The lights are powered by 3 AAA batteries (not included), or using a USB cable.
Overall, this rectangular hands-free magnifying glass is a great choice for avid readers. Handle it carefully though; many users say it doesn’t feel very robust.
What we like about it:
- Comfortable hands-free use.
- Large size covers a full page or a large portion of the page.
- Dimmable LED lighting.
- Can be powered by batteries or USB.
3. Kaome Rectangular Magnifying Glass with Light
This is a great choice if you are looking for a lightweight rectangular handheld magnifying glass. Measuring 2.5 by 4.3 inches, the Kaome magnifying glass is far too small to cover an entire page.
It’s more suited to reading small texts on a map, checking labels on products, and in hobbies like crafts and jewelry. The magnifying glass has a 2X magnification.
Weighing just 204g, the Kaome magnifying glass is super light and easy to hold for long periods.
Similar to other magnifying glasses, this one also comes with built-in LED lighting. 5 bright LED lights along one side of the frame provide plenty of illumination in low-light environments.
Using a switch on the handle, you can turn the lights on/off, and dim or brighten them. Note that you’ll need to have 3 AAA batteries to use the lights.
The handle feels comfortable in your hand, and we love that the light switch falls right under your thumb for easy light control. Once you are done using the glass, you can fold the handle for easy storage in the included bag.
Overall, the Kaome magnifying glass is a great alternative to standard round magnifying glasses. It’s lightweight, and the magnification is powerful enough for a wide range of applications.
What we like about it:
- Lightweight.
- Built-in lighting that is dimmable.
- Comfortable handle that is foldable.
- Comes with a storage bag and cleaning cloth.
4. Solikdm Magnifying Glass with Light
If you need high magnification for examining tiny texts and objects, we recommend the Solikdm round magnifying glass.
The primary lens has a diameter of 2.7 inches and a 3X magnification. It’s suitable for general reading and looking at small text on maps, books and newspapers.
In the handle is a small 0.8-inch lens with a 45X magnification, the highest of any magnifying glass in our buying guide.
The 45X lens is perfect for applications involving very tiny objects such as jewelry, electronics, watches, and crafts.
The Solikdm magnifying glass comes with LED lights, though they are all located in one small section. But since the primary lens is small anyway, they are enough to illuminate the viewing area. You’ll need a couple of AA batteries to power the lights.
The Solikdm magnifying glass is one of the lightest you’ll find. It weighs just 165 grams.
What we like about it:
- Very light.
- Built-in lighting.
- Powerful 3X and 45X magnification.
- Suitable for a wide range of applications.
5. AIXPI Magnifying Glass with Light
A quick note on the claimed 30X magnification of the popular AIXPI magnifying glass. Either the seller is not honest with their claims or they mistakenly left out a zero, but, as many customers found out, the magnification is highly unlikely to be 30X. It’s more like a 3X magnifying glass.
With this in mind, the AIXPI magnifying glass is a great choice for reading, inspecting things like watches and jewelry, and other general applications.
12 LED lights around the frame provide plenty of lighting to illuminate whatever you are looking at. You’ll need two AA batteries to use the lights.
Weighing 255g, the magnifying glass is a bit heavier than you’d expect for its size, so we don’t recommend it for prolonged use. But it’s small enough that you can easily travel with it. The lens measures 3.1 inches wide while the frame is 4.2 inches wide. Overall length, handle included, is 8 inches.
What we like about it:
- Compact for easy storage and portability.
- Built-in lighting.
- Adequate magnification for reading and various hobbies.
