{"id":5785,"date":"2019-08-09T13:38:16","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T13:38:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/?p=5785"},"modified":"2022-10-25T12:53:36","modified_gmt":"2022-10-25T12:53:36","slug":"long-term-disability-for-blindness-or-vision-impairment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diamondlaw.ca\/long-term-disability-for-blindness-or-vision-impairment\/","title":{"rendered":"Long Term Disability for Blindness or Vision Impairment"},"content":{"rendered":"

Benefits are essential for persons with disabilities. They provide much-needed assistance to help improve people\u2019s quality of life. Seventy-three percent of Canadians with disabilities report encountering <\/span>accessibility barriers<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, getting <\/span>disability benefits<\/span><\/a> for visual disorders in Ontario may be harder than you might think. Benefit providers often do not realize or appreciate the seriousness of a vision disorder.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, they sometimes do not think of them as true medical conditions. However, if you have total blindness or meet the definition of being legally blind, then getting long-term<\/span> disability<\/span><\/a> benefits is much more likely.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is Considered Legally Blind in Canada?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Being <\/span>legally blind<\/span><\/a> does not mean that you are completely blind. Those who are legally blind can still see some things, but their eyesight could be very narrow or extremely blurry.<\/span><\/p>\n

In Canada, someone is <\/span>considered blind under the law<\/span><\/a> if their best eye has less than 20\/200 vision. This includes the help of contact lenses or glasses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To put that in perspective, it means that the person cannot see more than six meters (20 feet) in front of them. Normal vision allows you to see about 60 meters (200 feet) away.<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also be considered legally blind if your vision field is less than 20 degrees with the help of glasses or contacts. That means that you have trouble seeing on the sides (peripheral vision).<\/span><\/p>\n

Because being legally blind is measured by your \u201cbest\u201d eye, you won\u2019t likely be considered disabled if you are only blind in one eye.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Common Causes of Vision Loss<\/span><\/h2>\n

Vision loss is the partial or complete loss of vision. Accidents, eye diseases, or age-related issues are common causes of vision impairment that may lead to blindness. Depending on the cause, sight loss could occur instantly or over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Here are some of the most common causes of sudden vision loss:<\/span><\/p>\n