When are you considered legally blind prescription?

Eye prescriptions are given depending on the severity of correction needed to restore normal vision. Normal vision is 20/20. The U.S. SSA uses the term “legally blind” in people whose vision is 20/200 with glasses or contacts, or whose visual field is 20 degrees or less than the normal eye.

What is considered a strong nearsighted prescription?

If you are -4.25, that means you have 4 and 1/4 diopters of nearsightedness. This is more nearsighted than -1.00, and requires stronger (thicker) lenses. Similarly, +1.00 would be a small amount of farsightedness and +5 would be more.

What is the legally blind number?

20/200
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.

What is considered severe nearsightedness?

Doctors generally define high myopia as nearsightedness of -6 diopters or higher, according to the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology & Strabismus. The Association also notes that high myopia often occurs in people with very long eyes, and typically appears during early childhood.

What is considered visual impairment?

Visual impairment is a term experts use to describe any kind of vision loss, whether it’s someone who cannot see at all or someone who has partial vision loss. Some people are completely blind, but many others have what’s called legal blindness.

What is considered really bad vision?

20/30 to 20/60, this is considered mild vision loss, or near-normal vision. 20/70 to 20/160, this is considered moderate visual impairment, or moderate low vision. 20/200 or worse, this is considered severe visual impairment, or severe low vision.

Is Nearsightedness a visual impairment?

Myopia also is not considered a visual impairment. That’s because a visual impairment generally is defined as reduced vision that cannot be corrected by usual means, such as eyeglasses or contact lenses. Visual impairments typically are caused by disease, trauma, and congenital or degenerative conditions.