Did you know: The largest letter on the diagram (an E on most Snellen diagrams) is a 20/200 vision. If someone cannot distinguish this letter with his prescribed glasses, he is considered blind within the meaning of the law. – You can always read. – You can always cook. – You can still work. – In other words, you can still enjoy life! – Check out our starter kit for more ideas to help you live well with a visual impairment. – Learn more about Ben Karpilov, a visually impaired lawyer practicing disability rights in California. SSA does not use the results of visual field screening tests such as confrontation tests, tangent screening tests, or automated static screening tests to determine legal blindness. Visual impairment is a visual acuity of 20/40 or more when wearing corrective lenses. Basically, if it`s at least 20/70, can`t be corrected — even with touches, glasses, or surgery — and interferes with your daily activities, it can legally be considered a “visual impairment.” For the visual acuity test, the criteria have changed because most test cards that use Snellen`s methodology do not have lines measuring visual acuity between 20/100 and 20/200.

New test charts, such as Bailey-Lovie or Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS), have lines that measure visual acuity between 20/100 and 20/200. In the United States, the Snellen Eye Chart (pictured left) is a test that ophthalmologists and optometrists use to measure a person`s visual acuity. It contains rows of letters, numbers or symbols printed in standardized graduated sizes. When determining right blindness, the field of vision (the part of a person`s vision that allows them to see what is happening on their end) is also taken into account. A field of vision of 20 degrees or less is considered blind under the law. Ophthalmologists can help diagnose right blindness. If you learn that you are legally blind, organizations like the American Foundation for the Blind can help. They have programs to help you cope with the physical and emotional effects of vision loss.

You may be surprised to learn that it is Uncle Sam, not the doctor, who determines whether you are legally blind. Visual acuity refers to a person`s proximity to an object 20 feet away to see it in detail. Normal vision is measured at 20/20. If you had a visual acuity of 20/80, it would mean that you would be able to see details from 20 feet away, just like a person with 20/20 or normal vision from 80 feet away. Here is an example of the discrepancies between the term “visual impairment” and the World Health Organization`s levels of visual impairment: If you have a Snellen rating greater than 20/70, with and without contact lenses or glasses, you have relatively good eyesight and you are not legally blind or even legally visually impaired. Part 1 of the U.S. definition of right blindness says this about visual acuity: We`ve all heard the term “legally blind,” but what does that really mean? How is it different from complete blindness and who is considered legally blind? A living room seen through a narrowed field of vision. Source: Making Life More Liveable. Use with permission. As in the past, legal blindness continues to be defined as the best corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the best eye; or a limitation of the field of vision so that the widest diameter of the field of view on the best eye tends to be an angle not exceeding 20 degrees, measured with a Goldmann III4e stimulus or equivalent size. About 80% of blind people have residual vision. It can be difficult to understand how a person with a particular eye condition can see some things while not seeing others.

While some people lose a lot of vision in a short time, others slowly lose vision. Many diseases that cause blindness begin to affect a certain part of vision and then progress to remove more vision. For example, macular degeneration initially affects a person`s central vision (the vision that makes us see straight ahead). Visual examples of what individuals might see if they have diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and retinitis pigmentosa can be found on the National Eye Institute`s website at www.nei.nih.gov. The following measures can be used for visual field tests: This is a representation of a narrowed visual field: Although you may have poor vision, are you really legally blind? There is a legal definition of who and what is considered blind or even “visually impaired”. Are you nearby? Can you get extra benefits from your low eyesight? If you have any questions about your own visual acuity, or if it`s been a long time since you`ve seen an ophthalmologist to determine your vision, contact us. We are happy to assess your vision with a series of painless tests and discuss your concerns. You can talk to the doctor about how you see now and the options available to help you get your best vision possible! Note: An actual Snellen eye graph is much larger than the one shown here; Therefore, it is not recommended to use this chart to test your own (or that of a friend or family member). Under the new criteria, if visual acuity is measured using one of the new tables and cannot read any of the letters in line 20/100, a person is considered legally blind, based on a visual acuity of 20/200 or less.

For example, if the person`s best corrected visual acuity for better eye removal was set at 20/160 using an ETDRS chart, they would now be classified as legally blind. Regardless of the type of test table used, the person will not be considered blind within the meaning of the law if he or she can read at least one letter on the 20/100 line. For example, if a person`s best corrected visual acuity for distance in the better eye were determined using an ETDRS table of 20/125+1, they would not be considered legally blind because they could read a letter on the 20/100 line. Under the new rules, there has been a change in how visual acuity and visual field can be tested to meet this definition. Like the term “legal blindness,” “visual impairment” is not a functional definition that tells us a lot about what a person can and cannot see. It is more of a classification system than a definition. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, legally blind is not the same as completely blind, which is used to describe the inability to see anything with both eyes. Most people who are legally blind have some eyesight. An estimated 1.1 million Americans are legally blind.

Certain conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, and macular degeneration, can affect your vision to the point where you can be diagnosed with the disease. While low vision or legal blindness can be limiting, there are many resources and tools to help you live your life with the utmost independence. Depending on the cause of your vision loss, you may be able to benefit from eye exercises and strategies to participate in daily activities. You may also find it helpful to use a stick, talking calculator, special computer software, and other products to help people who are legally blind.