Illinois veterans struggling with vision gifted Meta AI glasses

About 50 veterans who are blind or visually impaired are receiving some special gifts ahead of a Veterans Day event in Illinois. Casey Cronus from our Fox station in Chicago shows us how Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses will help these veterans in their day-to-day life. Tasks that may seem simple, like reading a menu or navigating an unfamiliar place, can present challenges for people with vision loss, but a new high-tech gift could offer something invaluable, greater independence. You have a great day. AI-powered glasses are helping bridge the gap, making everyday life more accessible. Meta has teamed up with the Blinded Veterans Association with plans to provide free Ray-Ban Meta AI glasses to 130,000 veterans across the country. Here in Rosemont, roughly 50 veterans with visual impairments received that gift. They got hands-on training from Meta representatives who showed them how to use the glasses for day-to-day tasks. Including sending emails, using GPS navigation, making phone calls, listening to music, and reading. While camera-equipped smart glasses have raised privacy concerns in recent years, for people with visual impairments, the technology can bolster their sense of freedom. One veteran from Iowa who attended the event didn't realize he'd be going home with a free pair. I was surprised. I thought, okay, I obviously got to pay for them. They said, no, it's a gift. for being a veteran. I'm here with guys I served with in the Marine Corps. It's awesome. I mean, our bond, our brotherhood, if you want to call it, is pretty close. So we spend a lot of time together as much as we can. I hope it makes them realize that the glasses are a big asset and the possibility is unlimited as to what they're going to be able to do with the glasses. A lot of veterans with low vision and blindness. They kind of become reclusive and these glasses can show them that they can get out and do things that they used to do. We're told another veteran used the glasses to map out a golf course. The Blinded Veterans Association was founded in 1945. To learn more about its mission or to support the organization, visit our website. Reporting in Rosemont, Casey Kronis, Fox Chicago.