Although the Social Security Administration (SSA) offers financial relief for workers that suffer from vision loss, claimants have to present an overwhelmingly convincing case to receive approval for disability benefits. The result of the tough review criteria established by the SSA frequently leads to denied disability benefits for vision loss.
Appealing a Denied Social Security with Vision Loss Claim
Our eyesight is one of the most important physical components of achieving a successful career. Just slight vision impairment can force a professional in virtually any field to fall behind his or her peers. If you suffer from vision loss and the SSA denied your original claim, you should get to work immediately by filing an appeal for a blind disability claim.
The SSA refers to a medical guide called the Blue Book to determine eligibility for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. Loss of acute central visual acuity falls under Section 2.02 of the Blue Book.
The word “acute” is significant when filing a disability claim for financial assistance because it means you have to prove you suffer from severe symptoms of vision loss. Partial loss of eyesight does not typically cut it for applicants that file an appeal for vision loss.
Proving Loss of Acute Central Visual Acuity
Reversing a vision loss denied disability claim requires the submission of medical documents that demonstrate the seriousness of your poor eyesight. Since blindness is defined as central visual acuity that is 20/200 or less in the stronger eye, you need to present diagnostic tests that show your vision has come close to reaching the blindness stage.
Vision tests include the standard reading of a chart of letters and numbers, but to prove acute vision loss, you have to undergo additional diagnostic tests that include images of any physical damage done to the eye or the area around the impacted eye.
Going Outside a Diagnostic Lab
Although a series of medical diagnostic tests can prove you suffer from acute vision loss, filing an appeal for a vision loss disability claim also involves undergoing a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment. A medical examiner puts you through a series of physical tests that measure how vision loss has diminished your job performance.
If you work in a job that requires perfect eyesight, just a slight diminishment of your eyesight can lead to financial assistance. However, the medical examiner conducting your RFC can put you through physical tests that determine your ability to complete standard job functions. An example of a physical test is having you reach for objects that are placed just a few feet from where you stand.
Get Legal Help for Your Denied with Vision Loss Appeal
The shock of a denied SSD claim might set you back, but you do not have the time to wallow in self-pity. The SSA has established a 60-day deadline for you to file an appeal, which a Social Security lawyer can expedite by helping you organize the medical documents you need to present a convincing case. Your attorney can also ensure you meet every deadline imposed by the SSA.
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