VA Benefits for Legally Blind Veterans: Ultimate Veteran Benefits List

As a veteran, you can qualify for many different assistive benefits. Disability compensation, special pension programs, low-cost or even free medical care, home and business loans, education programs and job training, counseling, and more.

When applying for a VA benefit for the first time, you will need to submit your personal information (full name, social security number, etc.) with detailed paperwork of your military history (service, branch, type of discharge, etc.) Your eligibility for any of the benefits will be based on that. 

Legally Blind Veterans 

According to the US Department of Veterans Affairs, about 130,428 US veterans are legally blind, and around one million veterans have low vision. As more veterans from the Korean and Vietnam wars develop vision loss from age-related diseases these numbers will increase.  

Do you Qualify for Legally Blind VA Veteran Benefits?

You don’t have to be 100% blind and see “complete darkness” to qualify as a blind veteran. Legally blind is someone who sees – but not very clearly. Normal vision is 20/20, meaning that most people can see an eye chart from more than 20 feet away, however, if you do stand less than 20 feet away and still can’t see the chart, then you are considered to be legally blind. 

Still, you will be tested to determine both your near and distant vision. Only distant vision is used to rate blindness. Also, the test results will only conclude after receiving corrective lenses. To qualify, you must still be blind while using corrective lenses. 

VA Offered Benefits for Legally Blind Veterans

Several blind and low vision rehabilitation services are available to assist legally blind veterans to live a more independent life. Veterans who have lost their sight or become blind are entitled to higher monthly compensation in addition to the following benefits that are available to help them learn to accommodate for their disability. 

• Vision-enhancing or assistive devices like electronic reading machines or the OrCam MyEye and electronic mobility devices. In addition, the veterans are eligible for the necessary training on how to operate them. 
• Training to create new visual skills in order to help veterans overcome daily challenges and complete different tasks like cooking, reading, writing, managing medicines, etc.
• Counseling and group therapy to get used to living with blindness and learn to accept it and the consequences of the condition.  
• Sensory training to maximize the use of ot senses like hearing and touch to help cope with vision loss. 
• Training for mobility and orientation, adjusting to moving around, with visual memory, and environmental clues. 
• Families who are affected by military service are eligible for support and care, to help the family members of the veteran adjust to the changes as well. 

Even though the benefits do not include guide dogs, the VA will help by pairing you up with agencies that do, like different blinded veterans associations, and pay for the veterinary care and any equipment needed for the dog.

There are thirteen Blind Rehabilitation Centers located in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, where legally blind veterans can receive the help they need to relearn and adjust to their new life. These centers may also assist in finding blind veterans jobs so many could achieve financial independence as well.  

Assistive Technological Device for Blind and Visually Impaired Veterans 

OrCam MyEye is a revolutionary voice-activated device that can instantly read to you text from a book, smartphone screen, or any other surface. 

The MyEye will increase a person’s independence by allowing them access to visual information (text, faces, products, colors), conveyed by audio, which will enable them to be more self-reliant in their daily lives.

As a veteran, if you are covered by the VA Health Coverage there is a possibility that you can get your OrCam device fully funded. For more information please leave your contact details here – https://orcam.co/32sZQf0
And our VA representative will get back to you with all details about the process.