Blind/Blinded/Blindness

A person may be regarded as permanently blind in both eyes where:

• there is a total loss of sight; or
• visual acuity after correction with suitable lenses is less than 6/60 in both eyes on the Snellen Scale; or
• where, in the written opinion of an ophthalmologist, the visual field deficits and/or combination of deficits results in a visual impairment which is the equivalent of a corrected visual acuity measure of less than 6/60 in both eyes.

The Commission Guideline CM5829: Determining 'permanently blind', 'no useful sight' and 'blinded in both eyes' may be instructive in making a blinded/blindness determination.