Seeing allows us to navigate the world around us, perform our daily activities, and assist in our communication. If our vision starts to fail, all of these activities are immediately impacted. For many, this is a daily reality. In America alone, 6 million Americans have vision loss and 1 million have blindness.
There are several reasons why your vision might start to go, which can lead to various degrees of visual impairment, including:
- Age: Our eyes naturally change as we age, which can directly impact the clarity and sharpness of our vision.
- Injury: Head traumas can cause retinal detachment, corneal abrasions, or optic nerve damage and lead to partial or complete blindness.
- Pre-existing conditions: Diabetes, hypertension or autoimmune disorders can also impact vision. These conditions affect the blood vessels in the eyes and cause them to leak or become blocked, leading to vision loss.
- Genetic disorders: Disorders such as inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are passed on from generation to generation, causing vision loss or blindness.
- Environmental factors: Excessive UV exposure, pollution, and poor nutrition can also impact vision. What’s more, a lack of essential nutrients like vitamin A can cause night blindness.
Regardless of what causes someone’s vision to be impaired, not all of them are considered a disability because all of them cause varying degrees of vision loss.
Levels of visual impairment
Visual impairments come in varying levels and impact a person’s lifestyle in a unique way. From mild to moderate, severe, and blindness, each level can impact a person’s ability to undertake daily activities without assistance.
Mild
The American Optometric Association describes mild visual impairment as a person’s visual acuity being between 20/30 and 20/60 in their better eye with the best possible correction. Usually, people who are mildly visually impaired have difficulty reading small print, recognizing faces (especially at a distance), or doing things in low-light conditions.
Moderate
The AOA describes moderate visual impairment refers to a person’s visual acuity being between 20/70 and 20/160 in their better eye with the best possible correction. People with moderate visual impairment may have difficulty recognizing faces, reading large print and performing activities that require fine visual detail.
Severe
Severe visual impairment refers to a person’s visual acuity being between 20/200 and 20/400 in their better eye with the best possible correction, according to the AOA. Those diagnosed with severe visual impairment struggle with distinguishing light from darkness. Difficulty reading or recognizing faces is another challenge common among the severely visually impaired.
Blindness
Finally, the AOA describes blindness as a person’s visual acuity being worse than 20/400 in their better eye with the best possible correction or having a visual field of fewer than 10 degrees. People who are blind may have no useful vision or only have light perception.
Blindness vs visual impairment
Legal blindness and visual impairment are two terms used to describe different degrees of vision loss. However, they have distinct meanings and legal definitions. The University of Pittsburgh defines visual impairment as any degree of vision loss, from mild to severe, and is a broader term to describe anyone with a degree of vision loss.
On the other hand, definitions of legal blindness may vary from country to country. This is because each country has varying levels of eligibility for government benefits and services.
For example, the United States Social Security — which provides disability benefits to those who have a disability — defines legal blindness as a visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in the better eye with correction or having a visual field of 20 degrees or less in the better eye. In general, though, legal blindness may encompass anyone whose daily life is interrupted by vision life. This includes activities like reading, writing and navigating their environment.
Despite the black-and-white nature of the terminology for legal blindness, vision loss exists in the gray — meaning vision loss can vary widely and some people’s vision loss may not fit within the definition of legal blindness, despite the fact that it affects their daily life, and vice versa. Some individuals who are legally blind may still have some useful vision. Others with severe visual impairment may have some functional vision and may not meet the legal definition of blindness.
How to get officially diagnosed with a disability
If you are experiencing vision loss or impairment, you must take several steps to get diagnosed with a disability. First, schedule an appointment with an eye doctor, who can perform a comprehensive exam to determine the cause and extent of your vision loss. Be open and honest with them about your symptoms and concerns to receive the most accurate diagnosis.
During your visit with the eye doctor or specialist, don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially about your symptoms or the treatment options. If you’re not happy with one doctor’s assessment, you can always seek a second opinion from another eye doctor or eye specialist.
Finally, explore all of the resources available to you. From government benefits and services to assistive devices and support groups, your doctor or a social worker can provide information on available resources regarding disability assistance and help you access them.
Why you might want a disability diagnosis
In certain countries, there is often a stigma with seeking out government assistance, especially for those with disabilities. For some, receiving a diagnosis of a disability may seem scary or overwhelming. However, getting diagnosed with a vision disability doesn’t have to be a bad thing. In some cases, you may want to receive that diagnosis because of the resources it opens you up to.
For one, a medical diagnosis can get you access to accommodations and government benefits that directly help you live a more fulfilled life. What’s more, a disability diagnosis can get you access to support services and validation of experiences. More than anything, government assistance can help you seek out medical care whenever you need it. This is especially imperative with vision loss, as visiting your eye doctor or specialist regularly can help you stay on top of any kind of changes in your vision.