Healthy Vision Month: Understanding SSDI for Vision Loss

Living with vision loss can keep you from maintaining your daily routine and maybe even cost you your job. But lots of people do not know they may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, which could help them. July is Healthy Vision Month, so we will look at how SSDI benefits can help people with vision loss and how you might you might qualify for them.

Defining Vision Loss and Blindness

A number of medical conditions can contribute to vision loss, including cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy. Although some of these conditions are not severe, they can all significantly affect your ability to see clearly.

There are two ways to be considered legally blind by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Either your better eye cannot be corrected to better than 20/200, or your better eye cannot see wider than in a 20-degree arc. Also, your poor vision should be expected to last for at least 12 months. Even if your vision does not meet this definition, you may still qualify for disability benefits if your vision loss keeps you from working.

Qualifying for SSDI Benefits Due to Vision Loss

When you apply for SSDI benefits, you need to prove your vision loss matches the SSA’s requirements. This is usually done with proof from an ophthalmologist or optometrist. If your vision loss does not meet the requirements, you need to show it prevents you from working and completing daily activities effectively.

Paying Social Security taxes through your job is what makes you eligible for SSDI benefits. The credits you earned from working will contribute toward your eligibility for benefits. If you do not have enough work credits when you become blind, then any credits earned after the start of the blindness can be used to qualify for benefits. Also, if your earnings remain below a certain amount, you can still get benefits even while you work.

Consider Your Options for SSDI Vision Loss Benefits

Social Security Disability Insurance is a crucial safety net for people who cannot work because of their vision loss. With SSDI benefits, people who are affected by vision loss can get financial support and access special services designed to improve their quality of life.

Our experienced attorneys at Jan Dils, Attorneys at Law can help you apply for SSDI benefits when you have lost your vision—or help you appeal your claim when those benefits have been denied. Please call us for a free consultation.