Hereditary retinal dystrophies
1.1. Screen readers and Braille displays
A screen reader is software that is installed on the computer, either desktop or laptop, whose function is to verbalize everything that appears on the screen, except images, photos, graphics, etc. Several types can be found:
- Free Software: such as NVDA.
- Built into the operating system: such as VoiceOver for Mac OS and Narrator for Windows.
- Commercial: the best known being Jaws for Windows.
The characteristics of each type of screen reader can be different in terms of performance and capabilities. For example, Apple's VoiceOver and Jaws for Windows stand out for being very high quality, and NVDA, despite being a free software, works well on some computers with Windows operating systems.
Generally (without going into the specifics of each product), a blind person who uses a screen reader on his or her computer will change the mouse for keyboard combinations or specific gestures on the trackpad (or touch mouse), which will be described in the manual of each product. However, a visually impaired person who uses the screen reader to read, for example, a long text and thus not tire his or her eyes, can use the mouse without problem, although he or she will use it more or less depending on his or her characteristics, needs and comfort.