Be My Eyes Reviews

by Naturenut9

I recently read about someone who had troubles getting help because nobody answered. Well, I always try to answer, but I have to unlock my phone first. By the time I get it unlocked, the call has been passed to someone else. If I have more than a few seconds to answer, I would be able to answer more often. It would be great if the request came through as a FaceTime call; I think I don’t have to unlock my phone for that. Furthermore, I would be more useful if I could set my app to available or unavailable when I’m sitting idle or driving. Because of the issues I have answering and the rarity of requests, I have often considered deleting BeMyEyes altogether.
Other than my two complaints, I have enjoyed BeMyEyes . I really enjoyed helping the two folks I was able to assist. I’ll be honest, I get really excited when the opportunity to help someone arises. Helping others is what I enjoy most in life, but I would like more opportunities to do so. Thank you to the creators of Be My Eyes for creating something so wonderful. I don’t expect it to be perfect, but I hope my feedback helps improve the experience for everyone.

by Heart_br8ker

I am a volunteer I signed up 2 days ago and got my first call earlier today!!! I was playing with my phone when all of a sudden this weird ringtone came on I looked down and was shocked and super excited at the same time! After talking to some friends that have it and reading the reviews I didn’t expect to get a call for a while so I was super shocked I was getting my first call already 😊. It was as amazing as I expected, didn’t take much time at all I helped a gentleman with his computer and logging on (letting him know what was on his laptop screen and when it turned on) easy peasy.. I was so grateful to be able to be there for him and thankful for an app like this one! Seriously BeMyEyes is amazing and have told everyone I know about it! My soon to be 18 he old daughter now has it on her phone as well 😊 There is no better feeling you get when you know that you’re helping people. For me it really put the little things into perspective... Just how much I take them granted.. ok ok I could go on I love it so much lol so I’ll end with this absolutely love BeMyEyes, works like a charm so far, you guys are amazing for making this and I’m truly grateful to be part of it!

by FNBalbina

I can’t believe how many self entitled reviewers are giving BeMyEyes a negative review because they “weren’t given enough time to answer” or never get to answer calls as if this is some game they’re not being picked to play in. If Someone else gets there faster than you, then that means someone who needed help got it quicker and that’s never a bad thing and it means BeMyEyes is working as intended… with as little wait time as possible for the blind/visually impaired. BeMyEyes works for those who need it and not for those who want to pat themselves on the back. I’ve had 3 interactions in 3 years and many calls where I wasn’t the one to be connected. If you really want to be available to help then it’s worth it to keep BeMyEyes on your phone for that one time where maybe not many people are in a position to answer the call, but you are.

by Somebody 1230

Earlier today I got my first call. I am so glad BeMyEyes is there to help people who may not always have someone around, I hope BeMyEyes gets spread to more people who need it and I’m so glad that the people on it are so nice, I was a little sceptical about the idea of this at first but then as I use it and as I help people with the little things I understand why they would make this, the man I helped today was absolutely so sweet and kind and he was just asking me to help him figure out what some of his groceries were and it was an honor, I helped him sort his coffee and mashed potatoes, and you should’ve heard his voice when I told him he had picked up his cottage cheese, he was so happy and I realize it’s the little things in life we take for granted, download BeMyEyes, you won’t regret it.

by Ankh99

I work in a doctor’s office and learned about BME through a patient telling me she sometimes has to use BeMyEyes to tell which prescription is which when her usual pharmacy that offers braille labels isn’t available to fill a script. Everyone on our staff immediately downloaded BeMyEyes , and anytime we get a notification to accept! I’ve only gotten to help just a single person so far, but as a volunteer, BeMyEyes really gives us a sense of what it means to be human, to give back to humanity, unselfishly. If more of us gave so freely of just a few minutes of our time each month, collectively, think of what else we could accomplish!
Don’t download BeMyEyes to make yourself feel better. That’s a selfish reason. But if that just happens to be a consequence of wanting to help others, then that’s what humanity is about!

by Devanmarie

I love answering calls because it humbles me that low vision or blind people go through a lot of extra work just to get through daily life. And to be able to make it easier for them means the world to me. It ALWAYS makes me smile even if I’m having a bad day by helping. Everyone is so grateful and wonderful to work with. I even helped out a man with narrowed vision who voluntarily goes out and helps homeless people and needed help reading a SUPER small print sheet that had all the resources for people in need. He just needed to find the one for housing to help people get back on their feet. Not only are they giving back and volunteering, but I felt a part of it at the same time because I was able to help him find the resources he needed so he could give out to those he helps who are homeless. Someone with a disability giving back in the way they receive help themselves is the definition of giving forward. And I just think this is Suh an amazing app, with amazing people all over the world. I can’t want until my next call to help out someone new. Now if I could also meet them, that would just mean the world to me to meet these incredible people. They inspire me.

by Californiolvia

I saw the ad on somewhere. I looked on App Store and said I need to get this right now. First call I helped the woman choose clothes. It really puts a huge smile on my face for a easy and caring thing that a lot of humans can do. I got a few more calls. I love it!! You get to help people no trouble. I myself is disabled. I have a prosthetic leg. If it was switched I would really be thanking the creators and volunteers for simple kindness. I’m disabled, but not enough to not help someone else disabled or not disabled. This is one of my favourite apps. Also you can be rated. Don’t worry getting bad volunteers because than they could not get calls when you rate badly. One thing that is a less joy and more of a curse is the numbers of volunteers. The number grow everyday and so I get less calls. But every call. I smile so big. Thank you creators. This is one of my favourite apps.

by Can-am-girl68

I have had the opportunity to answer a call twice. The first time I was helping a gentleman with a clock. I caught myself saying “.do you see this button” and of course quickly realize how dumb I sounded and needed to find other ways to describe like “there’s a button on the left of it, try to feel for it…”. He was very appreciative and didn’t seem frustrated by my “do you see” comments. The second time was a woman going out for the evening and had some top laid out on the bed to match her pants. This time I was sure to be careful with my choice of words. We had a lovely chat and I helped her pick her outfit. Both times only took maybe 10 minutes and I’m sure I got more out of it then the folks I helped did. Both times when I hung up, I gave thanks for the health of my eyes, something most of us take for granted daily. Way to go Be My Eyes!
Lucie H.

by Arizona Sackbut

Update after three years continuous use as a sighted helper: BeMyEyes has come a long way in development (wasn’t horrible at the beginning though) and is now very solid and refined. Excellent software and network.

With 0.8 million sighted folks on the net at this writing expect anytime/all the time assistance if you are blind / VI, and an incoming call every few months if you are sighted.

Give it a try without hesitation.

——-(original review)——-

Been a sighted helper on the net for a couple years. Current version has decent connection stability, very easy to take a call and render assistance when needed. If I’m unavailable (driving, busy, etc.) the notification is distinct but NOT invasive, and it clears quickly without intervention. Nearby folks will notice it but it’s unlikely you get harsh reactions if a call comes in at a bad time.

Due to the huge sighted : blind ratio of users on the net, incoming assist calls will be very infrequent. If you get 10 a year, consider yourself lucky unless you sign up as fluent in multiple languages.

As a sighted helper, It’s EASY to do, FUN to help folks, and takes virtually ZERO time and effort. As a blind user, know that there’s an army of “light dependent” folks eager and excited to lend a hand anytime and as often as you like.

This a great network. One of the best applications of smartphone tech I’ve encountered. Grab a copy and join in.

by Mia Victoria Sarah

I am a sighted person who receives calls from blind people seeking help, and I cannot express how it fills my heart to know that even on days that I stay in my pajamas, I can be of service to another person. Even something as small (to me) as indicating the color of socks laid out in front of my screen, clearly makes an impact on the person calling. I’ve talked to lovely people and encourage more people who are no and multilingual to join. There are many times over the volunteers versus the blind, but I imagine not a huge amount with that skillset. I’d highly recommend BeMyEyes, either way. It truly does make a difference for both parties and I am grateful to have been able to partake in it. Such an intelligent and awesome way to solve a problem that lifts the burden off someone who may otherwise have to seek out family or friends who aren’t right there with them.

by Vinnie Bom Bots

Isn’t it amazing to be able to see what color socks you will put on in the morning? They are some people that don’t have that luxury, we as a human race know how to share with one another. The ability to help one another is embedded in all of us. The kindest gesture to help a person in need, is to be able to give them your time. Just a few moments to ease the persons mind in this time of struggle. I don’t have the resources to be able to fund $1 million project but I have the ability to help a person choose a color shirt, the correct socks for the day or night, and maybe your thermostat isn’t working and you can’t remember whether it’s on hot or cold. There is many of us that will be awaiting a call no matter the time no matter the situation. It all starts with one little change, being compassionate to one another can go along way.

by Cloudnauert

I love having BeMyEyes on my phone and think it’s a great way to help! I am always willing to help whoever calls with whatever it is they need as my sight is something I often forget about being a blessing to have and to think how scary it must be to not have sight makes me want to ease that fear, even if just a little! The apps like these!, the ones that truly make things better for others, are not often found and it would be such a better place if we were able to ha e more apps like theses as it can serve as a reminder to be grateful for what we do have and to remember that when we think it’s the worse it actually is worse for others and it can put a little nudge in your ear that says, “seriously?” Here I am complaining about this when there’s people that will never know what the sky looks like, or the color of rain! It’s very humbling and rewarding all at the same time! Thanks for this reminder and opportunity!

by Heatherhoff

I have been a member about 6 months. I was the first to answer a call for the first time about a month ago. That gentleman was new to BeMyEyes and just wanted to try it out and ask some questions. Today I received a call where a woman had three pairs of tights, and needed to know which were blue, brown, and black. It was easy to help her and she seemed very grateful.

As someone with RP but who still has very functional vision, it is so rewarding to be able to offer assistance. I have seen negative reviews from others that were frustrated they rarely got calls, and were never the first to answer. It was five months before I was actually able to help someone, so just stick with it. I think it is also helpful to remember this isn't about you, it's about the person that needs assistance. Basically you have nothing to lose by being a member, and eventually will be able to assist someone. I am glad there are services like this out there for me when I need help someday.

by Kaley Liz

I just had my first call with an absolutely lovely young lady who needed help with her thermostat and reading the instructions on a food item she wanted to heat. I was honestly just so happy to have finally received a call and I hope that I was thorough in helping her. She was so sweet and fun to talk to as well, which is just an added bonus!

I wish I had remembered the ‘screen shot’ feature sooner in the call (ahh!) because it is a total game changer. Hopefully I have a second call now that I’m familiar with the platform.

So, New volunteers, here are a few tips if you’re feeling unsure:
- dont forget the ‘screenshot’, ‘torch’ and being able to background BeMyEyes (useful to look something up via the browser on your phone during the call if needed)
- Make sure that after you both complete the task(s) at hand, you ask again if they need help with anything else (possibly a continuation of what the call was about i.e. I wish I would have asked if she needed help with actually preparing the food item after I read her the heating instructions for it, without overstepping).

The interface of Be My Eyes is next level, top notch, A grade…and that’s an understatement.

In closing, this short interaction did just as much for me (if not more) than it did for her. Thank you for giving me the chance to make someone’s life a little easier (I hope! 😄).

Best App, ever. <3

by Uniquedesignsbybonez

I love being able to help someone day or night 24/7. There is many people who are willing to answer the call whenever you need help. I just have one wish that the assistant could have settings where we can make our calls louder and call whenever we want not just where we live, instead of the original of what comes with BeMyEyes . I am half deaf so I can barely hear when someone calls, but I have my volume up the highest it can go, and I have my settings on the loudest it can do on my part on my phone. I wish BeMyEyes would fix or put in settings where you can choose a louder sound for calls. I would love to help more people if BeMyEyes can put better features that can happen so I can get to my phone faster. Lol I just love helping people! But other than that I am very happy to be able to help the visually impaired and I hope more visually impaired people will use BeMyEyes for help there are so many volunteers there is always someone there 24/7 to help you in any country!

by Brandi Potts

I downloaded BeMyEyes about 2 years ago. I did it the first second I learned of it. I jumped at the chance to answer a call every time I saw my phone ringing, but I was never quite quick enough! Which goes to show you how many great Americans are out there who want to help just as much as I do! Finally though it happened... My phone rang and I clicked to answer and I actually started to be connected with the caller! She wanted something as simple as me telling her which bag of candy was which because she had about 5 bags of miniature candy. That was it. The overwhelming joy that my heart felt to be able to help someone who’s incapable of doing such small tasks such as that, overjoys me. After the call I just was stuck sitting there for a moment with a smile on my face, and almost sad that I couldn’t help her with more. I hope others can join BeMyEyes too and have the chance to answer a call to feel the happiness I felt. God bless whomever came up with BeMyEyes and I hope to be able to continue to help those who cannot help themselves.

by Fergusoninc

I think many people enjoy helping so it’s a good way to help. I’ve had maybe 5 calls in 2 years but only able to answer one of them fast enough and it was a person paying for a taxi verifying the correct payment amount. You probably will only get a few calls and maybe be lucky enough to answer one or two because there’s WAY more volunteers than users but it seems like a great service for those with visual impairments. If you have an iPhone you need to make sure it doesn’t offload BeMyEyes to the cloud because you may only get a call like every few months so if you don’t use it iPhone will offload it to the cloud and you won’t get notifications when you have a call. This is probably a comment for another forum but in general “Apple” needs to make an iOS fix to allow the user to designate certain apps (any app) to not ever go to the cloud due to inactivity. Seems like this is kind of an obvious missing feature from the iPhone settings “Apple”… why don’t you go ahead and fix that for all of us mmmkay?

by Austinnray

I love having BeMyEyes on my phone. While I have only received two calls in the last 6 months (I was too late to answer my first call, but successfully answered the second call today!), it’s still amazing that I was able to help someone with something so small; something the rest of us take for granted every day.

Today a woman called asking if I could help her adjust her thermostat. When she pointed the camera, it was a little low. I asked her to hold the phone up a little, and then I was able to see the thermostat clearly. Her heat was set on 70°, so she counted the buttons up to 75° and I let her know she had successfully turned her heat up. She said she didn’t need anymore help and thanked me for helping! I told her she was welcome and to have a great day. She was very sweet and I was glad I got to help:)

A lot of these reviews seem to forget BeMyEyes is for the visually impaired. It isn’t about how many calls you get to answer, or how great you feel because you volunteered. BeMyEyes is designed to help those who need it. I think it’s wonderful that so many people volunteer, regardless of the number of people that need help.

by Madandem

BeMyEyes really makes it easy to be the eyes for someone with low vision or even blindness. You answer a special ring tone if you have time (usually about 10 mins or so) if not someone else probably can get it. I always try to make time when I can. The callers need help with rather simple tasks and they know what they need but not being able to see is their only obstacle. With CoVid 19 isolating low sighted and blind persons from their normal support group of sighted friends and family has left them in a lurch. Once it was helping a lady find the right bills to pay for grocery delivery, once helping a lady read her prescription number to a pharmacist over the phone, helping someone who needed to match an outfit for a job interview (not used to wearing business clothes) and helping with computer issues. Nothing has been too hard or too time consuming and the feeling of being able to help someone pick the right train track can be a godsend to the person on the other end. Reminds me not to take my sight for granted. The callers are very respectful of your time and truly appreciate the help.

by HelenHeaven

I’ve been involved with this project for a year or so now and I’m still just as happy with BeMyEyes as when I started. Since the purpose of BeMyEyes is to connect someone with a question to someone who can give a visual response, I have no suggestions on how to improve it. It does exactly that.

I think it might be helpful to be told how to respond answering the call though. The callers are always nice, but not looking for friends or conversations. Just answers to their momentary dilemma. I answer: “Hi, this is Helen. How can I assist you today?” It’s short, friendly and informative. The caller doesn’t always give their name and usually go straight to their question.

My calls so far are: do these slacks match this blouse? I have 2 pieces of mail; who are they from? How much is this bill for? I’m in a meeting and don’t know what the error message is on my screen. And the like.

I have missed a few calls because I didn’t answer the phone quickly enough and my disappointment was always real. I’m glad the service moves quickly through phone contacts to better help the caller, but disappointed that the helper wasn’t me. If I did nothing else that day, I knew I gave someone real help and the sense of pride and satisfaction is terrific!

Long review, but aside from wishing I received more calls, I can’t recommend BeMyEyes or service enough! It’s 5 star across the board!

by Sakat38

I haven’t gotten to answer a call yet. I just signed up. But flipping through BeMyEyes , I’ve watched a few stories. I’ve seen the stats. We have over 1 million volunteers and only 80,000 who might need help on occasion. I’m not going to be disappointed if I don’t get a call right away or even if I don’t get a call for a month!
For those who wish there was a toggle, your account only gets called when your logged in (I read some info from the developer). If your going to bed, or going to be away/unavailable, log out. Log back in when your available or awake.
Lastly, perverts are everywhere. I’ve gotten sexual messages and pictures (really gross) on Facebook messenger before. Just got to hang up and move on.
I cannot wait to help my first person! ❤️❤️❤️

by Goldenmom

What a wonderful opportunity BeMyEyes has given me. As a sighted volunteer, I feel so fortunate to have the chance to help someone. We have more than enough bad things going on this planet, BME has put together people who need each other. The visually impaired have always been at the forefront of people who I respect. It takes a person of strong fortitude and nerves of steel to be able to survive in this age of callousness.

When I took my first call I wanted to make sure that I did it correctly. The gentleman that I assisted was so kind. My heart sank when the call ended because I felt that I did not do enough. Even the shortest call can make such a big impact on the lives of all involved. I will definitely be in for the long hall. BeMyEyes should be #1 in BeMyEyes Store.

by Leighvawhisper

I noticed BeMyEyes in BeMyEyes Store and decided to download. This was nearly two weeks ago as I guess I was a little skeptical to use it. This past Sunday as I was getting ready to go to lunch, I pulled out a chain that I wanted to put a gold pendant on. Now...is the chain silver or gold? I asked myself as if I knew. So, I figured this may be a good time to try Be My Eyes...After creating my account I was connected with a very kind young lady who was able to tell me the chain was gold! What a huge help to this blind lady who loves her jewelry and clothes! Thank you Be My Eyes and thank you to the awesome volunteers who truly can make a difference in peoples lives. The only downside is I really wish Be My Eyes had been around before I lost my sight because I would have loved to have been a volunteer!!

by Jackson Knapp

I’ve had BeMyEyes for about a month and half now and I’ve never wrote a review for anything, but I absolutely love the idea of anyone in the world who’s visually impaired can receive instant assistance at the snap of their fingers. As stated title I’ve never gotten a notification and that’s not a problem at all but while downloading BeMyEyes , I was so excited to actually make a difference and help someone. I absolutely love the fact that over 2 million people have volunteered on BeMyEyes but I feel there is a large number of visually impaired individuals who do not know about BeMyEyes . I strongly feel the creators of BeMyEyes need to advertise on a larger scale or start branching out so BeMyEyes can be more accessible to everyone who needs it.

by Firemouth101

BeMyEyes is truly an awesome way to help others who have visual impairments. Whether it’s helping someone pick out clothes for the day or read the mail, BeMyEyes is all about helping others. It’s truly amazing that the developers care so much about BeMyEyes and the group that are being supported by it. I’ve never seen an app show so much support for its volunteers. I would highly recommend downloading BeMyEyes. And it might take days, weeks and even months before you are able to answer the call. But when you do, you really are helping someone. I just got my first call today after being on BeMyEyes for more than 3 months, but even when I wasn’t answering phone calls, I still got updates from BeMyEyes including articles and other people’s stories.

by Unit38

BeMyEyes has been working great! As for the purpose of BeMyEyes , I can’t think of a better (and easier) way to help others in my spare time than to guide them when needed.

Calls cover every aspect of daily struggles some vision impaired people face; which one is the shampoo or conditioner? Is this a red shirt? Or how about: Which tube is toothpaste and which one ointment (both smell minty!)

My wife also supports my participation by doing things to help me have a good interaction - such as turning the sound off the TV if we happen to be watching when a call comes in... we high-five when a call goes well and I’ve helped some one out.

Please download BeMyEyes and give it a try. You don’t have to answer every call - but when you do, the rewarding experience of helping a stranger by simply describing what you see (for them) is golden.

And if you need help ... get BeMyEyes and call me... I’ll be here waiting to help!

PS I think it’s important to note this is a “helper” app and not a venue for social connections. I keep my interactions very professional as to not impose myself when all the caller wants is a quick hand without feeling like they have to spend more time than necessary on BeMyEyes . It’s a tool for them so respect that.

Of course sometimes conversations happen - that’s OK, but let it be on the recipients terms, not yours.

by Kairi_Su

I got my first call last week. It was a video chat with a man who got a new watch and needed to set it to speak instead of being read only. It took about twenty minutes because I had to Google the manual and walk him through it. When we finally got it working, he was so happy and excited. It felt so nice hearing the excitement in his voice. It's easy to help! Since there are so many volunteers, you won't be overloaded with calls. I've had it for a month but have only received two calls. Somebody else beat me to answering the first one, but I was able to get this one first. The calls ring on the phones of multiple volunteers and the first one to answer gets to take it, so no one is left hanging if you can't answer.