Although Social Security does not specifically include macular degeneration in its listing of Adult Disability Impairments, you may still qualify for benefits if your loss of vision is severe enough that you are unable to continue working for a year or more.
You also need to have worked for at least 5 of the last 10 years.
To qualify for Social Security benefits with macular degeneration, you need to demonstrate that your vision impairments match those described in the Special Senses and Speech Impairment category.
Social Security disability criteria for visual disorders
Visual disorders are abnormalities of the eye, the optic nerve, the optic tracts, or the brain that may cause a loss of visual acuity or visual fields. A loss of visual acuity limits your ability to distinguish detail, read, or do fine work. A loss of visual fields limits your ability to perceive visual stimuli in the peripheral extent of vision.
To qualify for benefits with macular degeneration, you’ll need medical evidence that proves you meet Social Security’s visual disorder criteria.
Evidence typically comes in the form of:
- A doctor’s report of a recent eye examination that includes measurements of your best-corrected central visual acuity or the extent of your visual fields
- Medical documentation explaining the cause of your visual acuity loss
You can apply for disability benefits online, in person at your local Social Security office, by telephone, or by mail.
Your application will include forms that provide information about your visual impairment, the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of your medical sources, and any other documentation relating to your vision loss and inability to work.
Most Social Security disability claims are processed through local field offices and State agencies, called “Disability Determination Services” or DDSs.
Local field offices verify your nonmedical eligibility requirements while the DDS evaluates your medical evidence and makes the initial determination about whether you qualify for disability payments.
You have the right to appeal an initial determination.