‘Be My Eyes’ app brings sight to the blind through the eyes of volunteers

Giving our neighbors an extra set of eyes to get around.

The “Be My Eyes” app helps people who struggle to see do day-to-day tasks.

One Southwest Florida man starting using it and says it’s already made his life easier.

There are thousands of people who live in SWFL who live every day just like Elias McGee.

“I have no sight in my right eye. I have very little sight in my left eye but I can see the sunshine,” he said.

McGee was born with a chronic vision impairment that destroyed his eyesight, but he found an extra set of eyes through an app on his iPhone.

“It brought me to another dimension when I discovered ‘Be My Eyes’ because ‘Be My Eyes’ became my sight,” said McGee.

“Be My Eyes” allows the blind and nearly blind to video call volunteers who can help them with everyday tasks.

“They would read me the labels on the cans, if I dropped money or anything on the floor, pens anything, I would just hit ‘Be My Eyes’ and someone comes on and tells me where it is,” said McGee.

Lighthouse of Southwest Florida works with people who cannot or struggle to see. They recommend the app to many of their clients, especially during this time of the year.

“We are in the height of holiday shopping and holiday preparation, so certainly an app like ‘Be My Eyes’ is very useful to someone who is blind or has significant vision impairments so that they can be independent in doing those tasks just like you and I,” said Dotty St. Amand, CEO of Lighthouse of SWFL.

“It’s just so touching, you know,” said McGee. “It gives you something back when you lost your vision.”

Giving the gift of sight to make someone’s day a little brighter.

More than 171,000 people worldwide use the “Be My Eyes” app. If you want to volunteer, just download the app, create a profile and wait for a call.