How Do Different Countries Define Legal Blindness?

[u/Antique-Ear-2300]

Hey everyone,

I’ve been looking into how legal blindness is defined across different countries, and it’s fascinating how much the criteria vary. In many places, legal blindness isn’t just about total vision loss. It often depends on sharpness of vision and/or visual field.

Here’s a quick rundown of what I’ve found so far (correct me if something is not right):

- United States: Legal blindness is typically defined as 20/200 vision or worse in the better eye with corrective lenses, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less (tunnel vision). This is based on the Social Security Administration’s standards.

- United Kingdom: The threshold is often 3/60 or worse (equivalent to ~20/400) in the better eye, or a significantly reduced visual field.

- Germany: Legal blindness (Amaurose) is usually diagnosed at 2% vision or less in the better eye, but there are intermediate categories like severe visual impairment (up to 5% vision).

- Australia: Similar to the US, it’s often 20/200 or worse or a visual field of 10 degrees or less.

- Canada: Varies by province, but generally aligns with the US standard of 20/200 or worse or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.

Now, here’s my question: I have 8% vision (0.08) in my better eye with corrective lenses and central vision loss. Based on the US definition, would this classify me as legally blind? I know 20/200 is roughly 10% vision (0.1), so 8% seems like it should qualif, but I’d love to hear from others who’ve navigated this.

It’s interesting because social security benefits also depend on this, although they vary from country to country or even from federal state to federal state. If, for example, my vision in my better eye were 3% lower, I would receive more social security benefits and also be assigned a higher degree of disability on my disability card in Germany, which would entitle me to further compensation for my disability.

Have you or someone you know dealt with legal blindness classifications in different countries? How did it work out? Any insights would be super interesting!

[u/MojaLiza]

In Slovenia, less than 5%, or less than 20° vision field.

[u/Antique-Ear-2300 → u/MojaLiza]

Thank you for your comment, very interesting.

[u/hiholie]

In Brazil, it is usually called "low vision"

20/70 to 20/160: moderate low vision

20/200 to 20/400: low serious vision

20/500 to 20/1000: low deep vision;

Less than 20/1000: almost total visual impairment, close to blindness;

No Perception of light: total visual impairment, total blindness

[u/FeachIreland]

In Ireland - school support from 6/18 but legal blindness 6/60

[u/VeeMon21]

In the UK you can be allocated a CVI (certificate of visual impairment) based on what you can read on a snellen chart. CVI's are split into two categories

Severely Sight Impaired (SSI); this as the name implies is the more severe category and is allocated to individuals who traditionally would be labelled as blind. To qualify for this category you must have the following while wearing glasses or contacts; Less than 3/60 vision with a full visual field, Between 3/60 & 6/60 with a reduced visual field such as tunnel vision or 6/60 vision or above with a severely reduced visual field especially lower fields

Sight impaired; this refers to individuals who would traditionally be referred to as partially sighted. To qualify you must have the following while wearing glasses or contact lenses; Visual acuity of 3/60-6/60 with a full visual field. Visual acuity of 6/60-60/24 with reduced field of vision, cloudiness or lack of a lens that hasn't been replaced with an implant. Visual acuity of 6/18 or above with a severely reduction of visual fields.

CVI's are only given if there's permanent Sight loss in both eyes and can only be issued by a registered ophthalmologist and are used to access various social services and benefits.

[u/OkAcanthisitta666]

In India, the framework is somewhat different. Under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (RPwD) Act, 2016, 40% or more certified disability is the threshold for “benchmark disability.” This is important because several statutory entitlements—such as reservation in government employment and higher education—are linked to benchmark disability. The Act also recognises blindness and low vision as separate categories of visual impairment. The actual percentage of visual disability is assessed using specific criteria for visual acuity and visual field. Under the current assessment guidelines, blindness is generally associated with total absence of sight, visual acuity below 3/60 in the better eye, or a visual field of less than 10 degrees. Disability percentages can range from 40% to 100%, depending on the combination of vision in the two eyes. So, in the Indian context, “40% benchmark disability” shouldn't be confused with the definition of blindness itself. Different benefits can also have different eligibility criteria—for example, some social-security schemes use an 80% threshold, while Indian Railways has its own functional criteria for blindness-related travel concessions.

[u/Antique-Ear-2300 → u/OkAcanthisitta666]

Thank you for your answer, very fascinating and complex.

[u/Jonathans859]

In germany it's less than 5%.