Legal blindness is defined by the Internal Revenue Service as a visual field of less than 20 degrees or vision that cannot be corrected to 20/200 in the better eye with corrective lenses. Taxpayers who meet this criteria are able to claim additional tax deductions or may claim an additional personal deduction.
What qualifies as blind for tax purposes?
Anyone whose field of vision falls at or below 20 degrees, who wears corrective glasses but whose vision is 20/200 or less in his best eye, or who has no eyesight at all, meets the legal definition of being blind and is eligible for certain tax deductions.
How do you declare legally blind?
Translation: A person is considered legally blind if the vision in the right eye and the left eye (both eyes) is 20/200 or less when wearing glasses or contacts or both, or if the field of vision for both eyes together is 20 degrees or less.
Is there a tax deduction for being blind in one eye?
Being legally blind in one eye may not qualify you for the tax deductions. To qualify you must have vision below 20 degrees in both eyes or your vision in your best eye is 20/200 or below. If you are legally blind in one eye but your eyesight is better than 20/200 in your other eye you would not qualify.
Is being legally blind a disability?
If your vision is 20/200, or legally blind, you may qualify for disability benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers “legal” or “statutory” blindness as a qualified disability.
What is considered legally blind in CA?
In the United States, any person with vision that cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in the best eye, or who has 20 degrees or less of visual field remaining, is considered legally blind.
What benefits are available for the legally blind?
The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers two programs that people who are legally blind or visually impaired may qualify for:
- Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
Are contacts legally blind?
Basically, if it is at least 20/70, is uncorrectable—even with contacts, glasses or surgery—and interferes with your daily activities, it can be legally considered “low vision.” In order to be legally blind, you must have a visual acuity of 20/200.
What is legally blind vs blind?
Legally blind means a person has a corrected vision of 20/200 in their best-seeing eye. If visual aids such as glasses can correct a person’s vision to 20/20, they are not considered legally blind. Totally blind refers to a complete loss of sight.
How bad do your eyes have to be to be legally blind?
If you’re legally blind, your vision is 20/200 or less in your better eye or your field of vision is less than 20 degrees. That means if an object is 200 feet away, you have to stand 20 feet from it in order to see it clearly. But a person with normal vision can stand 200 feet away and see that object perfectly.