What Is the VA Disability Rating for Blindness?
Did you know that an estimated 64% of veterans who have had a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) have loss of vision? Loss of vision is not uncommon in veterans — whether it be due to a service-connected TBI, exposure to dangerous chemicals, or other injury. Veterans who struggle with a loss of vision and need financial assistance may be asking — what is the VA disability rating for blindness? We have got answers to your questions at VA Benefits Attorneys.
How Does the VA Rate Blindness?
First — veterans must meet TWO basic requirements to be eligible for disability. The veteran must have a current loss of vision or a medical condition that affects their eyes or eyesight AND the veteran must have served on active duty, active duty training, or inactive duty for training. Vision-related disability claims can be filed as Inservice, Preservice, or Postservice claims.
Veterans who apply for a disability rating due to loss of vision, blindness, or a medical condition that impacts their eyesight will receive a disability rating that can range from 10% to 100% — and will vary based on the severity of the vision loss or medical condition. Here are a few examples of how veteran disability ratings can change based on the severity of the veteran’s vision loss.
- Veteran disability ratings for blindness are assessed based on corrected vision with glasses or contacts.
- Veterans with vision of 5/200 or worse are considered blind based on central vision acuity measured with a basic eye chart and test.
- Veterans may receive a 100% disability rating if determined that they are blind in both eyes or have lost both eyes due to injury.
- Veterans who are blind in one eye and have 20/20 vision in the other would most likely receive a 40% disability rating.
- Partial blindness is rated from 10% to 90% based on a variety of factors and medical conditions.
- The majority of eye conditions and diseases are rated from 10% to 60% with common intervals at 10%, 20%, 40%, and 60% based on the amount of treatments and episodes in a 12-month period.
What Eye Conditions Are Eligible for a VA Disability Rating?
Veterans may have many adverse eye conditions that develop over time and can be caused by service-connected incidents that include Traumatic Brain Injury or exposure to dangerous chemical materials. There are many service-connected injuries and medical conditions of the eye that are eligible for a VA disability rating and financial compensation. Here is a short list of injuries, illnesses, or medical conditions that may qualify for VA disability benefits:
- Anatomical loss of an eye or both eyes
- Anatomical loss of an eyelid, eyebrow, or eyelash
- Select inflammatory eye conditions
- Select cataracts or lens conditions
- Select neurological conditions
- Select retinal conditions
- Select corneal conditions
- Conjunctivitis
- Eye tumors or neoplasms
- Glaucoma
- Ptosis
READ MORE: What Are the Most Common VA Disability Claims?
Are you a veteran who has eye issues or loss of vision? You may be eligible for disability benefits and you may be asking — what is the VA disability rating for blindness? We hope that this overview created by VA Benefits Attorneys has helped answer your questions.
Contact VA Benefits Attorneys for more information about VA disability ratings or a review of your case!
