Does my loss of vision qualify me to file for SSDI?

Social Security disability income (SSDI) and Supplemental Security income (SSI) are available to people with a blindness disability. The Social Security Administration has special rules for people who have a loss of vision.

First off, if you are considered legally blind, you are eligible for either program offered by SSA. Legally blind is defined as having vision that can not be corrected to better than 20/200 in your better eye or your visual field is 20 degrees or less in your better eye.

Second, even if your vision loss is not bad enough to qualify you as legally blind you could still be eligible for benefits. In order to qualify, your vision alone or combined with other health problems must be so bad as to prevent you from working. To get SSDI, you also have to have worked long enough at a job where you paid Social Security taxes. For SSI, you do not have to meet the work requirement but must have income and resources under certain dollar limits.

If you do not have enough credits for SSDI, you may be able to acquire more by working after becoming blind or based on the earnings of a parent or a spouse from a job where Social Security taxes were paid.

The special rules for those suffering from blindness or a loss of vision mean you will probably be qualified to file for SSDI. You will also get a large benefit amount as well as work incentives.