And if the blindness occurred recently many normal activities may become difficult if not impossible.
Does being legally blind qualify for disability.
The ssd department compromises two programs that people who are legally blind may qualify for social security disability insurance ssdi or supplemental security income ssi.
There are a number of special rules for people who are blind that recognize the severe impact of blindness on a person s ability to work.
The ssdi program pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you have worked long enough and paid social security taxes.
Your vision loss must be quite significant and if you have good vision in one eye you won t qualify for disability benefits.
Use the following tips to improve your chances of receiving an approval for social security disability ssd.
You re blind you may qualify for social security benefits or ssi disability payments if you re blind.
If you do not meet the legal definition of blindness you may still qualify for disability benefits if your vision problems alone or combined with other health problems prevent you from working.
How to apply for disability benefits for blindness around 1 3 million us residents are currently declared legally blind.
Supplemental security income ssi.
The social security administration ssa offers two programs that people who are legally blind or visually impaired may qualify for.
The ssa details how significant your vision loss must be for it to qualify as a disability.
For these reasons the social security administration ssa disability program provides monthly benefit assistance for legally blind persons who qualify.
Legally blind applicants who are totally blind meaning they cannot perceive any light in either eye may qualify for presumptive blindness and have their benefits awarded much quicker than normal.
Social security disability insurance ssdi.
This diagnosis refers to those who experience less than 20 200 vision in their better eye or have a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
Blind applicants can work and earn up to 1 820 per month and still qualify for disability benefits.
Ssa s listings is a list of conditions that have been deemed so severe that if you suffer from them you will automatically be found disabled.
More often than not when someone who is legally blind applies for disability benefits they will be found disabled based upon one of social security s listing s.
Being legally blind affects just about everything a person does from day to day.
If you are partially legally or totally blind you may be able to qualify for social security disability benefits through the social security administration ssa.