Social Security had special rules in place for those who are completely blind or who have low vision. Payments made to these individuals differ from regular Social Security Disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments. To qualify an individual has to meet Social Security’s definition of being “legally blind.”
Social Security considers someone to be legally blind if:
- Vision cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 vision in the eye that has the best vision.
- The visual field is 20 degrees or less, even with corrective lenses.
It is a misnomer that people have to be totally and permanently blind to receive disability payments for being blind. Social Security states “many people who meet the legal definition of blindness still have some sight and may be able to read large print and get around without a cane or a guide dog.”
Even if an individual does not meet the definition of being legally blind, they still may be able to qualify for Social Security disability payments if those vision problems alone, or combined with other disabilities, prevent someone from working.
Another fallacy of the Social Security disability program is that a person is unable to work at all and collect Social Security disability payments at the same time. Social Security allows a disabled worker to earn up to $1,070 (gross) per month working and still meet the technical requirements of SSDI and receive payments. A blind person receiving disability payments is allowed to earn more than this from work and still qualify for benefits. The earning limit for people who are considered to be blind is $1,800 per month in 2014.
To learn more about the differences between regular SSDI benefits and Social Security disability benefits for the blind click here.
