Artificial intelligence and the enhancement of quality of life for individuals with visual impairments: a systematic review

Abstract In the backdrop of milestone advances in artificial intelligence (AI), hopeful possibilities are emerging to offer state-of-the-art technological solutions to improve the quality of life of disabled individuals, and more importantly, visually impaired individuals. This systematic review sought to explore the effectiveness of AI technologies within improving the quality of life of blind, and visually impaired individuals. The review has included 27 studies published within the period between 2020, and 2025 using the PRISMA framework. Mobility, education, social interaction, and safety were the four broad areas addressed within the studies. The findings indicated, that computational technologies such as computer vision, deep learning, and real-time environmental processing directly impact the facilitation of autonomy, and provision of access to information, education, and public space. within addition, solutions such as smart canes, sensors-enabled glasses, and edge-computing-based solutions exhibited promising outcomes. However, some challenges persist, mostly high cost, usability complexity, and low personalisation for user needs. The review proposes integrating AI technologies within education, and social policy, and developing more adaptable models for real-world implementation. The field demands more interdisciplinary research concerning the user experience so that visually impaired people can enjoy better, and more sustainable services.