Is Wearing Glasses A Disability?
As per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people who are wearing glasses are not regarded as disabled with impaired vision. There are eligibility requirements that specify who will be considered as disabled and who will not be considered as suffering from vision impairment disability.
Suppose, an eye doctor informs an individual that their vision is 20/800 without using glasses. As per the Social Security Administration (SSA), they are not concerned with anyone’s vision without spectacles. If you want to apply for the disability for wearing glasses then you must satisfy the criteria of very low vision.
In case an individual is having the eyesight of 20/800 in both of the eyes while wearing glasses then it will be considered a disability. However, there must be a prescription by a healthcare professional that defines your low vision.
The vision of 20/800 in both eyes is considered blindness. You can apply for Blind Disability Benefits in this case. Although, to attain the Social Security Disability, many parameters are discussed such as:
- For how long have you worked when you were not blind
- How frequently you have paid the Social Security taxes
In case you are applying for Supplemental Security Income then it will be granted based on your income. However, there are other factors that the Social Security Administration (SSA) focuses on. They will analyze your vision in your stronger eye.
If it is very low such as 20/200 with glasses then you will automatically be considered as disabled. In case you have 20/800 in one of the eyes and 20/100 in the other eye then also you will be granted the benefits.
What Happens When Someone Suffers Vision Impairments At The Workplace?
As per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there will be no discrimination made for people who are qualified for vision impairment disability. People who are suffering from disabilities must be unable to perform any work. Then the impairment will be considered as a disability.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), there are some provisions made for employment under ADA. The employees suffering from vision impairment will be considered disabled at the workplace when an employee is not harassed at all by the employer.
There will be accommodations provided to the visually impaired employee. It also depends on whether the employer is maintaining all the safety protocols at the workplace or not. The safety concerns will be for the visually impaired employees.
What Happens When You Have Lost Eyesight In One Eye?
If someone has lost vision in one of the eyes then you will automatically qualify for attaining the Disability benefits. There is a separate listing of blindness listed by Social Security. It states that when someone has an eyesight of worse than 20/200 then you will qualify for the benefits.
However, if you have a good vision in the stronger eye or better eye then it may be difficult for you to attain the benefits. In some cases, losing eyesight in one eye can refrain you from performing any work.
And if you lost your vision while working that required the binocular vision by using any machinery then you can qualify for the benefits. People who have lost their vision in one eye by working at great heights or while driving then you can apply for the benefits.
There is a medical-vocational allowance for limited eyesight and many people obtain the benefits as per this allowance. For older people, it is a great idea to attain benefits when they apply for this medical allowance. However, for people who are more than 50, 55, or 60,then there are separate grid rules for them for getting the benefits for impaired vision.
Can I Get A Disability For Partial Or Total Blindness?
As per the Social Security Administration (SSA), in case someone is suffering from
- Blindness
- Partially blindness
- Legally blindness
However, you must be able to satisfy all the eligibility requirements as mentioned by the SSA for vision impairment or blindness. There are some age-related problems as well. Some of the problems with older people are cataracts, diabetes, and glaucoma.
People who are suffering from diabetes go through diabetic retinopathy. Other problems caused by retina impairment such as:
- Lupus
- Cancer
- Melanoma
All these can also be one of the causes of visual ailment or blindness. You must have a proper medical prescription that signifies that your vision is worse even after wearing glasses. There is a separate listing for Blindness, partial blindness, and low vision specified by the SSA. The listing sections are as follows: 2.02 is for legal blindness, 2.03 is for partial blindness, and 2.04 is for low vision.
In addition to this, you must also have your vocational proof of your job. In this case to obtain clarity you can take assistance from a Disability Attorney in Florida.