[Arizona-students] FW: new rule for legal blindness

[Rivas-Parker, Karla, K]

This message is being sent on behalf of Gregg Trapp, President of
NCSAB:

Hello All:

I am passing on to you information regarding a new Social Security
Administration rule for determining legal blindness. Having represented
persons applying for disability under the old requirements, it is my
opinion that this is a change that will make it easier for applicants to
qualify for disability due to visual field restrictions. The Social
Security Administration had been requiring a "Goldmann" test which had
been out of favor with Ophthalmologist for over two decades. The rules
should also allow for more accurate disability determinations based on
acuity. Here is the information as I received it:  

Social Security Administration - Legal Blindness Updated
Standards/Qualifications
 
The Social Security Administration published new rules for visual
disorders in the Federal Register (71 FR 67037) on November 20, 2006.
These rules became effective on February 20, 2007.  
 
As in the past, statutory/legal blindness continues to be defined as
best corrected visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye; or a
visual field limitation such that the widest diameter of the visual
field, in the better eye, subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees,
as measured with a Goldmann III4e or equivalent size stimulus.  
 
Under the new rules, how visual acuity and visual field can be tested to
meet this definition has changed.
 
For visual field testing, the following measurements can be used:
1.    Automated static threshold perimetry (Humphrey 30-2 and
24-2) a.    For Humphrey Field Analyzers, a 10dB stimulus is equivalent
to a 4e stimulus.  A dB level that is higher than 10 represents a dimmer
stimulus, while a dB level that is lower than 10 represents a brighter
stimulus. Therefore, for automated static threshold tests performed on
Humphrey Field Analyzers, any point seen at 10dB or higher are a point
that would be seen with a 4e stimulus. 
2.    Kinetic perimetry, such as the Humphrey "SSA Test Kinetic"  a.
The kinetic test must use a white III4e stimulus projected on a white
31.5 apostilb (10 cd/m2) background.
3.    Goldmann perimetry 
a.    With a III4e target.
 
SSA will not use the results of visual field screening tests, such as
confrontation tests, tangent screen tests, or automated static screening
tests, to determine legal blindness.
 
For visual acuity testing, the criteria changed because most test charts
that use Snellen methodology do not have lines that measure visual
acuity between 20/100 and 20/200. Newer test charts, such as the
Bailey-Lovie or the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS),
do have lines that measure visual acuity between 20/100 and 20/200. 
 
Under the new criteria, if a person's visual acuity is measured with one
of the newer charts, and they cannot read any of the letters on the
20/100 line, they will qualify as legally blind, based on a visual
acuity of 20/200 or less. For example, if the person's best-corrected
visual acuity for distance in the better eye was determined to be 20/160
using an ETDRS chart, they would now be classified as legally blind.
Regardless of the type of test chart used, the person will not be
classified as legally blind if they can read at least one letter on the
20/100 line. For example, if a person's best-corrected visual acuity for
distance in the better eye was determined to be 20/125+1 using an ETDRS
chart, they would not be classified as legally blind because they were
able to read one letter on the 20/100 line.
 
To view the new rules please use the following link:
 
http://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/2.00-SpecialSensesa
ndSpeech-Adult.htm
 


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