Apple - How can I modify OSX GUI colors to be more readable for weakened vision
Neither MacOSX nor iOS offer to change the OS theme. If you want to do this, you need to use third party software.
What MacOSX does offer, is changing the color profile and calibrate it in System Preferences -> Displays -> Color -> Calibrate.
I've played around with different options and found the option "Cool bluish white" to be much easier on the eye:
I myself, also have poor eyesight, not simple weakening of the eyes but something more along the lines of what you described. For me, then, theming applications aren't simply a lark, but essential in order to get anything dome, as I stare at the monitor over 12 hours daily.
I have in the past designed some highly respected themes (well, highly respected by the people that make these things themselves, anyways - and still available on Michaels' Mac, incidentally, which is the website of the former "Resexcellence" founder). very usable moderately dark themes as they were easiest on the eye.
I found the best, and safest way to do this was via "Shapeshifter". Unfortunately, since Snow Leopard OSX 10.6 came out, Shapeshifter (like a whole lot of other applications) no longer works, and in fact that change effectively put the developer completely out of business.
For the last 2 years I've been looking all over for something else like it, and only just now have found something.
It's called Flavours,and it's so new that it didn't exist when you wrote this question. It works the same , essentially, as Shapeshifter, that is, by hooking into the graphics between the system and the display, meaning it doesn't alter any system files. It is also, the only thing I have EVER seen that can create transparent, or translucent, drop down menus in Snow Leopard and above. It claims to have a built in editor, but I can't figure how to access it, or if it does, it's as pretty poor editor. Nevertheless, it has many of the same themes that existed on shapeshifter, and MANY MANY visibility options. If only I could find out how to create white system fonts with it.
Again, this application is called Flavours I'm booted into a different version of OSX so don't have the link..It's easy to find however via Google, and is Mavericks capable also.
As long as you're not going for a dark theme you will definitely find something very visible.
I know this request is 2 years old but poor vision affects almost everybody as they get older, so there's many others who can benefit, including me! Took me 2 years to find it, so I thought it important to post.
URL: http://flavours.interacto.net