Social Security's "blue book" of impairment listings states the requirements to be automatically approved for disability benefits for vision loss. Social Security Disability Resource Center. Disability-Benefits-Help.org is not a lawyer or a law firm. Donations to Hadit.com are tax-deductible. The SSI program pays benefits to adults and children who meet our requirements for a qualifying disability and have limited income and resources. When does Social Security pay the first disability benefit check? Social Security grants immediate SSI benefits to those with severe disabilities who are likely to be found eligible for benefits. The definitive cause of keratoconus is unknown, though it is believed that the predisposition to develop the disease is present at birth. Pachymetry. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Tax returns from previous years and bank account statements can help you provide accurate financial data on your application for benefits. Bills add up quickly, particularly for patients that have lost their job and their health insurance along with it. In our eye cornea acts like a lens and focuses light on the retina. This requires you to show that there are really no jobs you can do safely because of your vision loss, taking into account your prior job experience, your age, and your education. Display as a link instead, To decide if you're unable to work, Social Security will look at your medical records to see whether there's evidence you have a serious medical condition that limits your ability to do many work-related activities. The attorney listings on this site are paid attorney advertising. To prove youre disabled without meeting a listing means you must show your decreased vision or blindness prevents you from working in any job. Claimants are blind can earn more than disabled workers who arent blind and keep their disability benefits. Keratoconus is a condition of the cornea (the window at the front of the eye) in which the protein molecules lose some of their adhesive strength and Keratoconus is thought to affect 1 in 1000 to 1 in 2000 patients. Irvine, CA 92697. Blurred vision. Are contact lenses a good choice for kids? ", Social Security considers symptoms that affect vision under listings 2.02, 2.03, and 2.04 for vision loss or blindness. If someone who is blind receives disability benefits and he or she is self-employed, the time spent working in his or her business isnt evaluated the same as it is for those who do not have vision loss. In an RFC, the SSA looks at your functional limitations, like your inability to drive, read, shop for food, or get around in unfamiliar locations. Early stages can be treated with glasses, but with progression of the disease into late childhood and early adulthood . Keratoconus usually is detected in the teenage years or 20's, but it can also start in childhood. is_confirmation;var mt = parseInt(jQuery('html').css('margin-top'), 10) + parseInt(jQuery('body').css('margin-top'), 10) + 100;if(is_form){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_1').html(form_content.html());if(form_content.hasClass('gform_validation_error')){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_1').addClass('gform_validation_error');} else {jQuery('#gform_wrapper_1').removeClass('gform_validation_error');}setTimeout( function() { /* delay the scroll by 50 milliseconds to fix a bug in chrome */ jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gform_wrapper_1').offset().top - mt); }, 50 );if(window['gformInitDatepicker']) {gformInitDatepicker();}if(window['gformInitPriceFields']) {gformInitPriceFields();}var current_page = jQuery('#gform_source_page_number_1').val();gformInitSpinner( 1, 'https://nkcf.org/wp-content/plugins/gravityforms/images/spinner.svg', true );jQuery(document).trigger('gform_page_loaded', [1, current_page]);window['gf_submitting_1'] = false;}else if(!is_redirect){var confirmation_content = jQuery(this).contents().find('.GF_AJAX_POSTBACK').html();if(!confirmation_content){confirmation_content = contents;}setTimeout(function(){jQuery('#gform_wrapper_1').replaceWith(confirmation_content);jQuery(document).scrollTop(jQuery('#gf_1').offset().top - mt);jQuery(document).trigger('gform_confirmation_loaded', [1]);window['gf_submitting_1'] = false;wp.a11y.speak(jQuery('#gform_confirmation_message_1').text());}, 50);}else{jQuery('#gform_1').append(contents);if(window['gformRedirect']) {gformRedirect();}}jQuery(document).trigger('gform_post_render', [1, current_page]);} );} ); Answering Your Questions about Crosslinking, Doctor Resources for Treating Keratoconus, Overview of Keratoconus for Optometry Students. Can I get disability based on my high blood pressure and my age? To apply in person, simply call the SSA toll free at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment at your nearest branch. A user who requests a free evaluation will be provided with the name of a subscriber lawyer or advocate who will contact the user to do the evaluation. The normally round cornea becomes thinned, distorted and irregular. Copyright 2022 Social Security Disability Resource Center - All rights reserved. To discover what you're able to do, a claims examiner will determine your residual functional capacity (RFC). Fill out thisFree Disability Evaluationtoday to find out more! What do the numbers on your eyeglass frames mean? The criteria for a disability rating in excess of 30 percent for keratoconus, for the period prior to April 22, 2009, are not met. In some states, legally blind applicants receive a higher state supplement to their SSI payment than nonblind disabled people. In fact, the SSA must review information about your education, job training, and employment history as well as your financial circumstances. This is done through a residual functional capacity analysis or RFC. here is the code rating for'' Keratocounus''. A new treatment called corneal crosslinking is being investig Crosslinking is the only procedure that stops the progression of keratoconus. and for his widow Claims are often initially denied disability, so working with a lawyer my help increase your chances. Individuals with keratoconus often experience near-sightedness, blurry vision, distorted images, and . How do I prepare for my disability hearing? But unless you're over 55, this is unlikely, since Social Security will no doubt say there are plenty of unskilled jobs you could do, or learn to do, that don't require driving, or 20/20 vision. JAN Corneal transplants are often performed on an outpatient basis and take about an hour to complete. These costs include transportation fees, home modifications, and expensive technologies that allow the blind to live independently and perform essential job duties. Privacy Policy. Your work history and details of your education and job training, Medical records or at least accurate contact information for all your healthcare providers, including your primary care doctor, specialists, and therapists or life skills educators, Financial records, including bank statements, paystubs, and information on any other forms of benefits you currently receive, Snellen method or similar visual acuity tests: measures how well a patient can see objects based on distance and location in relation to the central field of vision, Automated static threshold perimetry or kinetic perimetry exams: document shrinking or contraction of the central field vision over time, Humphrey Field Analyzer visual field tests: documents central and peripheral vision when a patient is focused on a fixed point. Your vision must be quite poor with glasses or contacts on, and if you have good vision in one eye, you may not qualify for disability benefits. This will get you a higher benefit amount when you apply for disability or retirement benefits. Non-blind disabled workers can earn up to $1,470 per month. After the excitement of finally having the rating you deserve wears off, you start asking questions. Those 9 months which dont have to be consecutive allow a disabled individual to determine if he or she is capable of earning a living again. Collagen makes the cornea strong and flexible, and helps keep its regular, round shape. Powered by Invision Community. For instance: These are called blind work expenses (BWE), a type of impairment-related work expense. If you have significant vision loss from keratoconus, visit akeratoconus specialistto determine if one of these new treatment options (or possibly acornea transplant) can improve your visual acuity and eliminate any potential disability from keratoconus. Parents who have children that are seriously ill can apply for SSI benefits on behalf of their child. It is possible to have both at the same time. Financial Assistance For Disabled Family Members, Coping With Cervical Cancer and What Benefits Are Available. For people who lose their sight later in life, the costs of blindness include not only adaptive expenses like those mentioned above, but also astronomical medical bills. Thankfully, in most cases, treatments such asscleral contact lensesand/orcorneal cross-linkingcan prevent even advanced keratoconus from causing this level of severe vision loss. But if you're over 55, Social Security might not expect you to learn to do some other type of work, if, in addition to vision problems, you have physical limitations that prevent you from doing heavy or medium work. The younger the person the more likely is a rapid progression usually by the age of 40. Answer (1) Upendra Gupta 30th Oct, 2019. However, some members have heard back sooner. Chronic eye rubbing is associated with developing keratoconus. Corneal collagen cross-linking is a procedure designed to stop the progression of keratoconus or slow it down. Age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetes (and diabetic retinopathy) are the most common causes of vision loss. These listings appear in a manual thats call the Blue Book.. It uses a rigid central portion affixed to a soft skirt. The cornea progressively changes its shape and becomes more and more conical. Plus there are much more glare and halos at nighttime. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. Increased sensitivity to bright light and glare, which can cause problems with night driving. Copyright 2023 | Hadit.com | Hadit.com is exempt from federal income tax under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). Masks are required inside all of our care facilities. Although keratoconus has been studied for decades, it remains poorly understood. You can also file a claim over the phone by contacting Social Security at 800-772-1213, but be prepared for long wait times. If there is also pain and sensitivity to light, the minimum rating for this condition is 10%. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Example of How Social Security Assesses Whether You Can Work, Medical Conditions - Eligibility for Disability Benefits, After You're Approved for Disability Benefits, Workers' Compensation Benefits Information, State-Specific Information for Workers Compensation, Medical Conditions - Eligibility for Disability Benefits, getting disability for peripheral vision problems, how Social Security uses your RFC to decide whether there are jobs you can do, applying for Social Security disability benefits, Medical Conditions - Eligibility For Disability Benefits, After Youre Approved For Disability Benefits, State-Specific Information For Workers Compensation, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, no operating hazardous machinery or driving, or. If your income declined as your vision deteriorated, you can exclude the most recent quarters of earnings from your Social Security record. Your RFC is the most intensive work you can still doeven with the limitations caused by your medical condition. If that happens, within 5 years of returning to the workforce you are eligible for what is called expedited reinstatement. Knowledgeable people who dont have time to read all posts may skip yours if your need isnt clear in the title. Keratoconus is an eye disease that may or may not cause loss of visual acuity that is severe enough to be considered a disability. If I'm receiving other forms of benefits, can I get Social Security? SSDI claimants who are legally blind can work and receive up to $2,460 in 2023 and still be considered disabled. Page published on Thursday, January 10, 2019. Read More. Central visual acuity is how clearly you can see straight ahead. This gives members a starting point to ask clarifying questions like. Educational text answers on HealthTap are not intended for individual diagnosis, treatment or prescription. If you are older and have a lower level of education or limited transferable job skills. Use paragraphs instead of one massive, rambling introduction or story. Keratoconus causes the corneal tissue to de Keratoconus is a condition in which the cornea, or front of the eye, is very steep. Please reference the Terms of Use and the Supplemental Terms for specific information related to your state. Contacting a disability representative is the best way to ensure that your application is completed correctly, giving you a better chance at receiving an approval and avoiding the. I was diagnosed with keratoconus by a military doctor at McChord AFB, Tacoma, Washington. They may also allow a better contact lens fit. He or she can also determine any gaps in your medical documentation and fill in those gaps by completing evaluations according to SSA documentation standards. Having a misshapen cornea can cause blurry vision and is most common among people aged 10 to 25. Most claims are approved within five months, although if it's clear that your vision loss is severe you could be approved faster. If the keratoconus progresses, surgical thera Synergeyes is a type of hybrid contact lens that can be used in keratoconus. Making ends meet in the meantime only adds stress to an already stressful life transition. To decide whether your vision impairment prevents you from working, Social Security will give you a residual functional capacity (RFC) rating. Use our disability calculator to see how much you could be able to earn in disability benefits. Social Security will evaluate your claim based on your medical evidencethis should include test results, imaging, and your doctors' records and treatment notes. Our experienced specialists diagnose keratoconus using AI-powered technology. People born blind usually learn to live and thrive in a world dominated by sighted individuals, but they still experience ongoing adaptive living expenses as working adults. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account. Those who are blind can receive up to $2,460 for per month in 2023 from disability benefits. In almost all cases, glasses or a contact lens are necessary to provide the clearest vision after transplant surgery. Retinal detachment and retinal disease (retinopathy) caused by high blood pressure, lupus, melanoma, or other types of cancer can also lead to a loss in visual acuity. 6042 Retinal dystrophy (including retinitis pigmentosa, wet or dry macular . If you are legally blind and you qualify for Social Security disability benefits, you could earn up to $2,460 for per month in 2022 for SSDI benefits. So the key question will be -- why do you think you are unable to work at any type of work.on a full-time basis? However, accommodations as an employee are still within your rights as an individual with KC. I did not have keratoconus when I entered the U.S. Air Force in June 1964, but was diagnosed with keratoconus after I was honorably discharged in February 1969. SSDRC.com is not the Social Security Administration and is not associated or affiliated with SSA. I was diagnosed with keratoconus of one eye while in service and it is documented as service-connected. This can result in significant vision impairment. Also, if your doctor has diagnosed you with an eye disease, your medical record should reflect the diagnosis and the treatment you've received for it. The Social Security Administration (SSA) considers legal or statutory blindness as a qualified disability. What Cancers Automatically Qualify for Disability in 2023? If you are at-least 10 percent disabled as a result of your military service, the VA can pay you monthly compensation. They treat the disease, but not cure it. In other words, keratoconus itself is not a disability, but vision loss caused by keratoconus may be severe enough to qualify as a disability. If not, the agency will then consider your RFC, age, education, and prior work experience to determine if you could do some other type of work. Keratoconus is a disease of eyes in which the patient has the vision loss. 600. To evaluate claims based on the medical evidence alone, Social Security has three "listings" in its impairment manual that apply to claims involving loss of vision. My other eye is 20/20 uncorrected. r/Keratoconus is a safe and supportive community for people living with keratoconus and the people who care for them! Chronic eye inflammation. Keratoconus is a progressive disease that can change the shape of your cornea in one or both of your eyes. If you're blind and over the age of 55, your earnings won't be considered SGA even if they rise over the blind SGA limitas long as the work requires a lower level of skill and ability than the work you did before the age of 55 or when you became disabled, whichever is later. Does applicant have an attorney helping with this case? They are independent attorneys or advocates who pay a fee to be listed on the website and have their names provided, on request, to website users. If a claimant is older than 55, even if their earnings are in excess of $2,460 per month the benefits are only suspended and not terminated if the work that you do requires a lower level of ability and skill than the work you did before you were approved for disability benefits. SSA disability examiners are the people who review claims for benefits. The cause of keratoconus is generally unknown, but some factors can increase your chance of getting it, including: A diagnosis of keratoconus alone is not enough to get Social Security disability benefits. The earnings limit usually changes from one year to the next and those figures are based on the cost of living and inflation. The idea of a trial work period is to allow you and the SSA to determine if your condition has improved enough for you to return to work. If you won't qualify for disability under poor visual acuity alone, you'll also need to get peripheral vision tested. Learn how we can help. Most CommonVADisabilities Claimed for Compensation: Can a 100 percent Disabled Veteran Work and Earn an Income? I dont read all posts every login and will gravitate towards those I have more info on. Cone vs warp: Keratoconus is an abnormal conical shape of the cornea--sometimes severe enough that glasses cannot fully correct and surgery is considered. 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