Is - 5.5 eyesight legally blind

The definition of what "legally blind" means is key to understanding policies like your state driving laws, whether you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefitsand how tax exemptions and other federal or state benefits may apply. Or, your degree field allows for seeing only right in front of you. This article explains why not all blindness meets the criteria to be declared legally blind, and what is needed for that to be the case, is - 5.5 eyesight legally blind. It describes how people with low vision are tested and diagnosed.

Well, there are actually several different issues at work here, so a "Yes or No" answer is not possible. First: What does it mean to be " legally blind? But the trick here is not what you see "naturally" with your naked eyes , but how well you see with your glasses or contacts. Second: If your two eyes are quite different in the amount of "refractive error" i. This is called amblyopia , often called "lazy eye" although I think the latter term insults the work ethic of the worse eye.

Is - 5.5 eyesight legally blind

Visiting your optician or optometrist for an eye prescription, you may find yourself immersed in a new and unfamiliar world. While your eye doctor will walk you through it and try to explain as much as possible, you may find that you need particular answers on certain eye questions that you encounter in your life. One of those questions may center on this whole concept of legal blindness. Because of this, it is important to understand whether your eye prescription is considered legally blind. With this knowledge in hand, you can jump through some of these procedural hoops and obtain some of the available benefits if you are legally blind. Before talking about how your eye prescription tells you whether you are legally blind, it is critical to further explore what legal blindness actually is. To put it simply, legal blindness in the United States is measured by looking at your central visual acuity and your field of vision. Your central visual acuity is essentially what is in front of you. As you can guess, your field of vision is then what you see to the sides, above, and below you. To test your vision, your optometrist or optician will make you look at a Snellen chart, which is the familiar chart of mixed letters that you read from a distance of about 20 feet. The overall goal of this eye test is to compare your vision to a historical norm.

Increased pressure inside the eye is the main cause of glaucoma. National Library of Medicine. Can Lasik cure legal blindness?

The U. Social Security Administration SSA uses this term to determine who is eligible for certain disability benefits, tax exemptions, and low-vision training. This means that a legally blind person has to stand 20 feet away from an object to see it clearly. People with normal vision can stand feet away from that same object and see it clearly. However, their peripheral vision is poor. People with normal vision have a lateral field view of almost degrees.

Well, there are actually several different issues at work here, so a "Yes or No" answer is not possible. First: What does it mean to be " legally blind? But the trick here is not what you see "naturally" with your naked eyes , but how well you see with your glasses or contacts. Second: If your two eyes are quite different in the amount of "refractive error" i. This is called amblyopia , often called "lazy eye" although I think the latter term insults the work ethic of the worse eye. Third: Let us say your This does not mean you cannot treat such severe myopia, but it does suggest you should be prepared in advance for one eye being somewhat better than the other, even with full refractive correction. I think not.

Is - 5.5 eyesight legally blind

Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen. M illions of people around the world wear glasses and contacts for bad eyesight. But that term is so broad that it covers everything from mild farsightedness to those who are legally blind.

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Shop Now. We may earn commissions if you purchase something via one of our links. Protecting Your Eyes Steps you can take to safeguard your sight include maintaining a healthy weight which could put you at risk of developing diabetes , wearing eye protection for certain activities such as sports , and eating a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. She also has an interest in Eastern medicine practices and learning about integrative medicine. D Medical Reviewer. Adults older than 40 should get their eyes checked once a year. Hello frankie, Thank you for providing your prescription details. Visual Acuity. Sport Brands. He or she will be able to further describe your prescription and the consequences of being legally blind. The Social Security Administration does have benefits for people who are legally blind, provided certain criteria are met. The overall goal of this eye test is to compare your vision to a historical norm. Learning Resources Knowing what it takes to maintain healthy vision is important. People with normal vision have a lateral field view of almost degrees. Vision Loss.

The U. Social Security Administration SSA uses this term to determine who is eligible for certain disability benefits, tax exemptions, and low-vision training.

This means that you can read all, or most, of the chart from six metres away; this acts as the standard on which all other measurements are based. She collaborates with editors and medical experts to produce credible, easily digestible articles on vision and eye health. Simply put, if your prescription is Lasik surgery is appropriate for people whose visual acuity falls within a certain range. Previous Post Previous post: Crazed Lenses. If your eyesight is poor, you should talk to an ophthalmologist to determine whether Lasik could be an option to improve your sight. What Eye Prescription is Legally Blind? This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. If you score well on one test, the other aspect of your vision would need to be significantly poor for you to qualify as blind. Skip to content. Related Articles.