The reason some people use this term is because there are many different types of “blindness.” People mistakenly believe that all blind people see only darkness or literally nothing at all. In fact, blindness may involve seeing colors or light, or having greater visual acuity in some parts of their field of vision, while others are blurred or absent. As the country`s population ages, the number of legally blind Americans is expected to double by 2050. If you have any questions about your own visual acuity, or if it`s been a long time since you`ve seen an ophthalmologist to determine your vision, contact us. We are happy to assess your vision with a series of painless tests and discuss your concerns. You can talk to the doctor about how you see now and the options available to help you get your best vision possible! About 1 million Americans were legally blind in 2015, according to an estimate by the National Eye Institute. If you`re not completely blind yet, but your vision isn`t what it used to be, you probably fall into the category of visually impaired adults. Visual impairment is sometimes referred to as “partial blindness”, but because the term is not necessarily accurate, “visual impairment” is preferred. If someone is legally blind due to their visual acuity, it means that the sharpness of their vision cannot be improved beyond 20/200, even with the help of their glasses or contact lenses. According to the American Foundation for the Blind, legally blind is not the same as completely blind, which is used to describe the inability to see anything with both eyes. Most people who are legally blind have some eyesight.

The Iowa Department for the Blind also serves people who are functionally blind. A person is functionally blind when they have to use so many alternative techniques to perform tasks that are normally performed with vision that their daily lifestyle is significantly altered. These alternative techniques could include reading a newspaper while listening to the phone or using Braille to read a book. But what does it mean to have poor eyesight? Is it just that your vision is blurry or unclear? Legally, it must be caused by eye disease and reduce your visual acuity to at least 20/70. This means that to see what most people can see from 70 feet away, you need to be as close as 20 feet. In other words, you can hardly read the 3rd row from the top of Snellen`s eyeboard (or the chart you read at the ophthalmologist with all the letters). Some people may read a small series of letters on an eyechart, but they can`t see the person standing next to them without turning their head. This describes legal blindness due to poor peripheral visibility. Legal blindness occurs when a person has a central visual acuity (vision that allows a person to see right in front of them) of 20/200 or less in their best eye with correction. With a visual acuity of 20/200, a person can see at 20 feet what a person with a vision of 20/20 sees at 200 feet.

A wide field of vision is crucial for activities such as driving a car or crossing a busy road. Visual field tests can determine if you have a normal field of view with no blind spots or unusual narrowing of your peripheral vision. There are many conditions that can cause legal blindness, but the most common are age-related eye diseases. Age-related eye diseases, which are the main causes of low vision and blindness, include: People who are legally blind are often entitled to special services and support. What are the main causes of blindness? According to the National Eye Institute, there are four main causes of blindness in the United States. Another way of looking at it: if someone with 20/20 vision is standing next to a legally blind person, the legally blind person should approach up to 20 feet to see an object from 200 feet away, as well as the person with normal vision. Legal blindness is different from total blindness, which describes the complete loss of any visual perception of light. Most legally blind people can still see light, but the objects in their vision are very blurry. Several NGOs can help people with legal blindness lead a more normal life, even with severe visual impairment. Visual acuity of 20/20 is considered “perfect vision” because no help is needed to see better, and the average person with good vision can clearly see what doctors have determined to be 20/20 vision. Some people (especially young people with good eyes) may see letters smaller than the overall size “20/20”. An estimated 1.1 million Americans are legally blind.

Certain conditions, such as glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes, and macular degeneration, can affect your vision to the point where you can be diagnosed with the disease. Visual acuity refers to a person`s proximity to an object 20 feet away to see it in detail. Normal vision is measured at 20/20. If you had a visual acuity of 20/80, it would mean that you would be able to see details from 20 feet away, just like a person with 20/20 or normal vision from 80 feet away. The government uses the term “statutory blindness” to decide who can receive certain benefits, such as disability or vocational training. This is not the same as being completely blind. Striem-Amit E, Gen M, Amedi A. “Visual acuity of congenital blind persons by visual sensory substitution for auditory.

PLoS One. 2012;7(3):e33136. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033136 An ophthalmologist measures visual acuity and field of vision to determine if a person is legally blind. American printing house for the blind. What is legal blindness? The terms may also be used by health insurers to determine benefits and as part of the vision screening tests required by state departments of motor vehicles (DMV) when determining driver`s license eligibility. For safety reasons, people who are legally blind or visually impaired are generally not entitled to a driver`s licence. They are considered legally blind if the test detects a field of view of 20 degrees or less. You may hear that this is called tunnel vision. To be legally blind, you must meet one of two criteria: visual acuity (visual acuity) and field of vision (the full range of what you can see without moving your eyes). Note that the blind person within the meaning of the law is not completely blind. While legally blind people can still technically see, completely blind people will not be able to perceive light or see anything. If you are completely blind, you cannot see any light or shape.

Among people with eye diseases, only about 15% can see nothing at all. If you are legally blind, you can still see, but not so clearly. You measure your eyesight by wearing glasses or contact lenses. Their vision could fall below 20/200 without them. If it improves when you put on your glasses or contact lenses, you are not considered blind under the law. Being considered legally blind means you can`t drive in any state. Talk to your doctor about your concerns.