A method comprising: entering (502, 602, 702) a passive viewing state of an apparatus indicating that the apparatus is not actively viewed by a user based on a combination of received first and second environmental sensor information from different environmental sensors of the apparatus, the first environmental sensor information indicative of an orientation of the apparatus which is indicative that a direction of gravity in relation to the apparatus is substantially perpendicular to a surface of a display of the apparatus or within a predetermined threshold angle thereof, and the second environmental sensor information being touch sensor information indicative of a user not holding the apparatus; determining (504, 604, 704) occurrence of a software event while the apparatus is in the passive viewing state, the software event comprising any of determining receipt of a message, determining that a current time corresponds with an occurrence time of a calendar entry, or determining receipt of a call; generating (506, 606, 706) a visual event notification that is indicative of the software event based, at least in part, on the passive viewing state; causing (508, 608, 708) display, on a display of the apparatus, of the visual event notification in conformance with an impaired-viewing display mode based, at least in part, on passive viewing state, wherein the impaired-viewing display mode provides visual-impairment compensation by way of at least one format restriction; receiving (510, 610, 710) first and second environmental sensor information from the different environmental sensors, the first environmental sensor information indicative of a different orientation of the apparatus indicative that the direction of gravity in relation to the apparatus is substantially parallel to the surface of the display of the apparatus or within a predetermined angle thereof and the second environmental sensor information being touch sensor information indicative of the user holding the apparatus; determining (512, 612, 712) that the combination of the first and second environmental sensor information indicative of the different orientation of the apparatus and the user holding the apparatus indicates that the apparatus is actively viewed by a user; entering (514, 614, 714) an active viewing state of the apparatus based, at least in part, on the determination that the combination of environmental sensor information from the different environmental sensors indicates that the apparatus is actively viewed by the user; and causing (516, 616, 716) display, on the display of the apparatus, of different visual information in conformance with an unimpaired-viewing display mode based, at least in part, on the active viewing state. entering (502, 602, 702) a passive viewing state of an apparatus indicating that the apparatus is not actively viewed by a user based on a combination of received first and second environmental sensor information from different environmental sensors of the apparatus, the first environmental sensor information indicative of an orientation of the apparatus which is indicative that a direction of gravity in relation to the apparatus is substantially perpendicular to a surface of a display of the apparatus or within a predetermined threshold angle thereof, and the second environmental sensor information being touch sensor information indicative of a user not holding the apparatus; determining (504, 604, 704) occurrence of a software event while the apparatus is in the passive viewing state, the software event comprising any of determining receipt of a message, determining that a current time corresponds with an occurrence time of a calendar entry, or determining receipt of a call; generating (506, 606, 706) a visual event notification that is indicative of the software event based, at least in part, on the passive viewing state; causing (508, 608, 708) display, on a display of the apparatus, of the visual event notification in conformance with an impaired-viewing display mode based, at least in part, on passive viewing state, wherein the impaired-viewing display mode provides visual-impairment compensation by way of at least one format restriction; receiving (510, 610, 710) first and second environmental sensor information from the different environmental sensors, the first environmental sensor information indicative of a different orientation of the apparatus indicative that the direction of gravity in relation to the apparatus is substantially parallel to the surface of the display of the apparatus or within a predetermined angle thereof and the second environmental sensor information being touch sensor information indicative of the user holding the apparatus; determining (512, 612, 712) that the combination of the first and second environmental sensor information indicative of the different orientation of the apparatus and the user holding the apparatus indicates that the apparatus is actively viewed by a user; entering (514, 614, 714) an active viewing state of the apparatus based, at least in part, on the determination that the combination of environmental sensor information from the different environmental sensors indicates that the apparatus is actively viewed by the user; and causing (516, 616, 716) display, on the display of the apparatus, of different visual information in conformance with an unimpaired-viewing display mode based, at least in part, on the active viewing state.