The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program grants financial aid to people with visual issues. If you suffer from blindness or low vision, you may qualify for SSDI benefits. However, you must meet particular Social Security Administration (SSA) requirements to receive payment.
Receiving benefits with visual problems
As someone who has visual problems, you may not be able to work or earn money like someone with normal vision. That’s why the SSA considers legally blind individuals disabled and may give them SSDI benefits if they meet specific requirements. Some of these requirements include:
- If your vision in your better eye cannot be corrected to be better than 20/200
- Having a visual field in your better eye that is 20 degrees or less
- If you have vision problems alone or combined with other health problems
There are specific visual disorders the SSA considers as allowable visual disabilities. People with these disorders must check if they can receive SSDI benefits.
Qualifications for SSDI benefits
The SSA looks for some specific requirements to qualify for SSDI benefits. Aside from struggling with legal blindness or visual problems, they consider the following:
- Earning enough work credits
- A disability that prevents performing certain activities properly
- Education
- Age
To be eligible, you must have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes while working.
Further, legally blind individuals must earn below $2,460 monthly to receive benefits. The medical rules for blindness are the same for both SSDI and SSI, but the other rules for each program differ according to the SSA.
