What They See vs Optics Simulator
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
What They See
This app simulates various vision conditions and color blindness in real-time using your device's camera. Explore how different visual impairments and animal vision affect perception, with educational guides and sharing capabilities.
- Real-time vision condition simulation
- Colorblindness simulation
- Animal vision simulation
- Dyslexia text transformation
- In-depth educational guides
- Photo and video capture with simulation
- Sharing capabilities
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Ever wondered what the world looks like through someone else's eyes? What They See turns your iPhone camera into a real-time vision simulator. Point it at anything and instantly see how someone with colorblindness, cataracts, myopia, or dyslexia experiences the world. Built with optometrists and educators in mind, but made for anyone who's ever been curious about how other people (and animals) see. VISION CONDITIONS - Myopia and hyperopia with depth-aware blur powered by LiDAR - Glaucoma, macular degeneration (dry and wet), retinitis pigmentosa, and diabetic retinopathy - Cataracts: nuclear, cortical, posterior, and mixed types - Astigmatism with full prescription and axis support, plus keratoconus - Presbyopia with an age slider from 40 to 70 - Floaters, visual snow, and night blindness - Drunk vision that shows how alcohol affects sight - Baby vision from newborn through 52 weeks of development COLORBLINDNESS - Deuteranopia, protanopia, tritanopia, and monochromacy - Adjustable severity so you can see mild to complete color shifts DYSLEXIA - Multiple research-backed simulation types available in 39 languages - Point your camera at any text and see it transform in real time ANIMAL VISION - See the world as a dog, cat, deer, bee, eagle, shark, octopus, fly, spider, owl, snake, mantis shrimp, and more - Ever wonder why your dog can't find the orange ball in green grass? Now you'll know. LEARN MORE WITH DEEP DIVES - Every simulation includes an in-depth educational guide - A deep dive for every simulation, with statistics, interactive charts, diagrams, and world maps - Understand the science behind each condition, not just what it looks like USE YOUR OWN PHOTOS - Import any photo from your library and apply any filter CAPTURE AND SHARE - Take photos and record video with any simulation active - Share what you see with family, students, patients, or friends NO SUBSCRIPTIONS - Buy only the filters you want, or unlock everything once. No subscriptions, ever. WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING "I can totally see how this is useful from a patient education perspective. Like showing a parent what their child's vision is like." - Optometrist "This would be extremely helpful! I have parents all the time asking me to describe what their kids see." - Optometrist "The colorblind filters are genius for helping me decide what colors to choose when trying to make things more accessible." - Board game designer "This is amazing! I'll probably be using it every day!" - Optometrist Whether you're an eye care professional explaining a diagnosis, a teacher building empathy in your classroom, a parent understanding your child's vision, or just someone curious about the world, What They See lets you step into someone else's perspective. Download now and see the world through new eyes. What They See is designed for educational purposes and is not intended for medical diagnosis. Vision is deeply personal, and individual experiences may vary. Our simulations are built on published research and developed in consultation with optometrists, special education teachers, dyslexia specialists, and veterinary professionals.
Optics Simulator
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Optics Simulator turns the equations of clinical optics into live, interactive ray diagrams. Move an object, slide a lens along the optical axis, change diopters, rotate a prism — and watch the geometry, focal points, image position, and magnification update in real time. Each simulator displays its governing equation in textbook serif math, with the current numerical values substituted alongside, so you can connect the picture to the formula. A built-in practice section quizzes the underlying concepts with parameterised diagrams (the answer is hidden in the stem and revealed once you check your work). INCLUDED SIMULATORS • Snell's Law and Total Internal Reflection — refraction at an interface • Vergence and Thin Lenses — draggable object and lens, full three-ray construction • Schematic Eye — cornea + crystalline lens + axial length; lens shape changes with power • Refractive Errors — myopia and hyperopia with a spectacle at adjustable vertex distance • Lens Effectivity — see how moving a lens toward the eye changes effective power • Astigmatism — the Conoid of Sturm with a cross-section explorer • Telescopes — Galilean and Keplerian, both lenses are draggable • Simple Magnifier — at, inside, or beyond the focal length • Mirrors — concave, convex and plano, with C and F marked • Prisms — clinical prism diopters and geometric minimum-deviation REFERENCE • A formula sheet with every equation the app uses, typeset in serif math • Built-in practice problems organised by section DESIGN • Black-and-white interface so the colored rays remain the most prominent thing on screen • Adaptive layout: simulator stays visible alongside the controls in landscape • No accounts, no ads, no tracking, no internet connection required For health-profession students, ophthalmology residents, optometry students, and anyone who would rather see optics work than memorise formulas.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: What They See at Free against Optics Simulator's $1.99. What They See also leads on iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.4). Optics Simulator's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
What They See is free to download; Optics Simulator costs $1.99 up front. What They See sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. Optics Simulator asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | What They See | Optics Simulator |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $1.99 |
| Rating | 4.3 (36 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 36 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 85 MB | 1 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Special Glasses LLC | My Call Bag LLC |
In-app purchases
What They See
- Astigmatism$1.99
- Cataracts$1.99
- Protanopia$1.99
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- Tritanopia$1.99
- Baby Vision$2.99
- All Color Blindness$3.99
- All Vision Impairments$4.99
- All Dyslexia Simulations$4.99
- All Animal Vision$7.99
- Unlock Everything$14.99
Optics Simulator
No in-app purchases
Questions
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Is Optics Simulator free?
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