What is Legal Blindness?
People often refer to visual impairment that meets the legislative and Social Security Administration definition of blindness as “statutory” blindness, or “legal blindness.” A person is considered to be “legally” blind under the following conditions: having central visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in the better eye, or having a visual field that extends to less than 10 degrees from the fixation point, or its greatest diameter is less than 20 degrees, or both. A person can be legally blind and still have some sight. For example, a person who is legally blind from AMD, will have normal peripheral vision (unless they have another eye condition that affects peripheral vision). For detailed information on vision impairment and qualifications for disability benefits, click here for the Social Security Administration’s web site. For further information about federal income tax exemptions for those who are legally blind, click here for the Internal Revenue Service’s web site.
