Am I Legally Blind? What Is The Definition of Legal Blindness? Let's Discuss.

Many of my patients have poor vision prior to wearing their contact lenses.

There is a common misconception that if you have poor vision without contact lenses or glasses that you are legally blind.

While many of my patients are completely unable to function without their contact lenses, the definition of legally blind is reserved only for those who still cannot see even when they are wearing their contact lenses or glasses.

You are defined as legally blind from the Department of Social Security if you have:

1.) Visual acuity of 20/200 or worse in the BETTER seeing eye WITH the use of your contact lenses or glasses.

and/or

2.) Visual field no greater than 20 degrees in the BETTER seeing eye.

Those that have visual fields (your peripheral vision) no greater than 20 degrees are typically people who have severe glaucoma.

Thankfully with the newest technology in contact lens design, we can improve the vision of someone who was defined as legally blind with glasses! I currently only have a few legally blind patients (mostly due to glaucoma, which we cannot correct with contact lenses). The rest of my patients who came in with very poor vision can now see with their lenses!