Visual Impairment or Blindness

Blindness is naturally one of the most feared disabilities. This fear is justified in veterans suffering from visual impairment caused by incidents during combat or in-service accidents. The loss of sight can affect almost every aspect of everyday life, not to mention greatly impair one’s ability to find and keep a job.

As many as 1.5 million veterans suffer from vision deterioration extreme enough to impair their ability to perform common tasks. More than 150,000 veterans are legally blind.

Major causes of vision loss include, among others, macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts and stroke. In younger veterans, those who served in Iraq or Afghanistan, blast-related brain injuries can cause permanently blurred or double vision.

A veteran who suffers vision impairment is entitled to monthly compensation if he or she meets certain requirements:

• A vision of 5/200 or worse in both eyes
• Concentric contraction of the visual field to 5 degrees or less in both eyes
• Light perception only or no sight in one eye

If a blind or visually impaired veteran is receiving a pension, he or she may receive additional compensation for the aid and attendance of another person to assist with activities of daily living in or out of a nursing home.

The Berry Law Firm represents veterans of every branch of the U.S. armed forces, including the National Guard and the Reserves, who have suffered blindness or visual impairment. Our practice in veteran’s disability law includes representation through the claims and appeals process for VA disability benefits. Contact us online for a free initial consultation.