A person shall be considered blind who has been examined by an ophthalmologist or
a qualified eye physician and found to have no vision or vision with glasses that
is so defective as to prevent the performance of ordinary activities for which eyesight
is essential.
In terms of ophthalmic measurement, central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the
better eye with correcting lens or a visual field limited to 30 degrees in the widest dismeter, may be considered economic
blindness. Central visual acuity of 20/100 in the better eye with correcting lens,
in very progressive cases may constitute industrial blindness. Certain ocular conditions,
which do not necessarily involve visual acuity or peripheral field loss, may be equally
disabling.
Handicapping Eye Conditions:
Certain conditions which do not involve visual acuity or peripheral field loss, but
which nevertheless constitute severe handicaps, must be considered in formulating
the definition of visual eligibility for blind assistance. These conditions disturb visual functions to a degree which makes impossible the
performance of tasks for which vision is essential. Examples of these situations are:
Some types of essential blepharospasm, despite normal visual acuity and normal visual
field, constitutes a visual problem which in certain cases may render an individual
economically and industrially blind. This is particularly true of those cases in which
the blepharospasm is induced or aggravated by the willful intentional necessity of
keeping the eyes open. If this condition is sufficiently severe, the condition constitutes
an almost completely disabling defect. Such persons should be considered visually
eligible for blind assistance. Here again, the problem is individual and should be judged on its own merit.
Muscles Palsies, which limits the rotation of the only seeing eye in those cases
where the visual efficiency is border-line constitutes another problem that requires
individualization. In general, it is felt that a complete ophthalmoplegia constitutes
a defect in which 10 percent may be subtracted from the visual efficiency level and
the resultant efficiency be used as a determination of eligibility.
Occasionally there is a problem of a complete ptosis of the lid of the only seeing
eye, combined with some impairment of the visual acuity or field efficiency. Most
cases are amenable to surgical correction, but there are instances in which surgery
is refused and artifical supports do not expose the eye sufficiently to permit the
individual to have useful vision. In such a situation, the defect should be considered
disabling and the person visually eligible for blind assistance.
A local condition, which exists in a chronic form and which produces sufficient photophobia
or blepharospasm that the individual cannot keep his eyes open sufficiently to follow
any gainful occupation, should be considered visually eligible for blind assistance.