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Low Vision Resources

There are few people today who are totally blind. Many, classified as blind, have some vestiges of sight remaining, and ongoing developments in the field of low vision rehabilitation has led to an improvement in the quality of life for these people.

Persons, whose low vision cannot be corrected, are generally categorized as visually impaired and they usually can have various problems. The World Health Organization has established the following visual impairment classifications based on the vision in the better eye with the best possible glasses:

• 20/30 – 20/60 is near-normal vision or mild vision loss.
• 20/70 – 20/160 is moderate low vision.
• 20/200 – 20/400 is severe low vision.
• 20/500 – 20/1000 is profound low vision.
• 20/1000 and above is near blindness.
• Total blindness occurs when no light can be seen.

In the United States, any person with vision that cannot be corrected to better than 20/200 in the best eye, or who has 20 degrees or less of visual field remaining, is considered legally blind.

Read below to learn more about the aids and rehabilitation programs for those suffering with low vision.