Problems Faced by Legally Blind People

According to the Social Security Administration, a person is considered legally blind "if your vision cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in your better eye, or if your visual field is 20 degrees or less in your better eye." In other words, a legally blind person, with glasses or contact lenses and using the better eye, can only see at 20 feet what a normally sighted person can see at 200 feet, or has "tunnel vision" in which the range of vision is only 20 degrees.

Looking for Work

• Legally blind people face a number of problems, one of which is finding work. The 1992 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that companies with 25 or more employees must accommodate an otherwise qualified individual with a disability by providing "reasonable accommodations." Legally blind people should be able to find employment or at least not be eliminated from consideration in favor of fully sighted individuals. Job Opportunities for the Blind (JOB), a project of the U.S. Department of Labor together with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) offers consultations to legally blind people and employers.

Getting Help for Students

• Legally blind students in the classroom are entitled to the same quality of education as their normally sighted classmates. School faculty members must be encouraged to provide equal opportunity to legally blind children who may be mainstreamed into their classrooms. The National Federation of the Blind offers information to members about issues that affect blind adults and young people.

Maintaining Independence

• As the elderly lose their vision due to such problems as macular degeneration, they must strive to keep their independence through the use of technology, visual aid products, training and support groups. The National Organization of the Senior Blind as well as various state and local organizations provide options for seniors to live independently.

Obtaining Benefits

• Blind people or those with low vision are entitled to certain financial benefits. The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program and the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program provide benefits for vision impaired people. People can earn credits while they are working or even if they work after becoming blind. The legal definition of "legally blind" is the SSA criteria for determining eligibility for benefits.

Driving

• Not all states allow legally blind people to drive. Some states require drivers to use special equipment while in others, drivers must obtain restricted licenses.

Socializing

• Because legally blind people have varying degrees of visual acuity, their disability is not always obvious to others. Most do not require canes or guide dogs. Friends and family members should understand the person's limitations--she may be able to drive on local roads, for instance, but be unwilling to drive on busy highways--as well as offer assistance when needed,