Seen At 11: 'OrCam' Brings Back Quality Of Life For Many Suffering From Loss Of Vision

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Imagine, not being able to make out a street sign, read the text from a book or even recognize the face of a loved on.

That's the reality for millions of people.

Now, as CBS2's Dr. Max Gomez explained, an amazing new device is bringing back the quality of life for many people.

"Right now I have what they call tunnel vision. I only see a little bit out of my left eye," Pedor Liz said.

Liz has retinitis pigmentosa, a genetic disorder that causes a loss of vision. It's certainly had an impact on his life and work. He's a DJ at a local radio station.

"I have to learn to do things different ways. By touching, by feeling around," he said.

Now, groundbreaking technology created in Israel is changing his life.

"I can read my mail, newspaper, magazines," Liz said.

It's called the OrCam My Eye.

"This is the eight megapixel camera, connected to a speaker, this part mounts onto your right eyeglass frame," Christopher Laboriel said.

Laboriel gave CBS2's Gomez a first hand look at how it works. The device does a lot more to help bring back an important quality of life.

OrCam also has a facial recognition function -- it can store and recall up to 100 names and faces -- and reads signs and identify products as well.

Dr. Bryan Wolynski is an optometrist who said OrCam can open up a new world to the visually impaired.

"They're able to read text, read from a book, read newspapers, read their mail activities that they were doing every day that they were no longer able to do," he said.

Low vision is something that's not fixed from either surgery, medication, conventional glasses, or contact lenses.