RE: Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

[Guest guest]

I only know a partial definition of legal blindness, and that is that your

vision needs to be below 2200 with correction. In addition to that,

however, there is another cryterion for determining legal blindness and

that one involves field degrees of vision and I don't know what it is, but

either one will work. If you contact the Department of Rehabilitation in

your city, listed in your phone book under state government, they will send

your wife to a doctor who will determine whether she is legally blind or

not. If her vision returns, that will be a good thing, but meanwhile she

might be able to get some help. Good luck to you, LaWanda At 06:34 AM

12/9/2002 +0000, you wrote:

>No, the Library of Congress had not been mentioned before, nor had

>those websites. Thanks LaWanda. But what is " legally blind " ? My

>wife is definitely eligible, as she can't see the " E " at the top of

>the chart and can pick out NOTHING in the peripheral vision tests.

>In fact she still has a valid drivers licence but could never find

>the car, let alone drive it. She has not, however, been declared

>blind or given any advise on getting any help. I think her doctors

>have just been too involved in her more life threatening problems the

>past few years.

>

>She was never into computers when she had her vision but thats a

>possibility for her now.

>

>Del

>

>

> > I haven't been keeping up with this thread as well as I should

>perhaps, but

> > hs anyone mentioned your wife signing up with the library Of

>Congress for

> > talking books. As long as she is legally blind she can do that,

>just look

> > under state government in your phone book and find library for the

>blind,

> > talking book library, or something like that. If you can't find

>it, then

> > your local state rehabilitation department will probably know.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Del,

Legal blindness is defined as having a visual acuity of less than 80

degrees or 20 over 200.

The 80 degrees means that her field of vision is less than 80 degrees

wide - generally tunnel vision. The 20 over 200 means she has to get within

20 feet to see what people having 20/20 vision can see at 200 feet. Thus,

20/20 vision means a person can see at 20 feet what others having good

vision can also see at 20 feet.

Hope this helps,

Walt

Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

No, the Library of Congress had not been mentioned before, nor had

those websites. Thanks LaWanda. But what is " legally blind " ? My

wife is definitely eligible, as she can't see the " E " at the top of

the chart and can pick out NOTHING in the peripheral vision tests.

In fact she still has a valid drivers licence but could never find

the car, let alone drive it. She has not, however, been declared

blind or given any advise on getting any help. I think her doctors

have just been too involved in her more life threatening problems the

past few years.

She was never into computers when she had her vision but thats a

possibility for her now.

Del

> I haven't been keeping up with this thread as well as I should

perhaps, but

> hs anyone mentioned your wife signing up with the library Of

Congress for

> talking books. As long as she is legally blind she can do that,

just look

> under state government in your phone book and find library for the

blind,

> talking book library, or something like that. If you can't find

it, then

> your local state rehabilitation department will probably know.

[Guest guest]

Thanks Walt, that was much better than I did with it. I have never really

concerned myself very much with it because there has never been any doubt

in my case. LaWanda At 07:01 AM 12/9/2002 -0500, you wrote:

>Hi Del,

>

> Legal blindness is defined as having a visual acuity of less than 80

>degrees or 20 over 200.

>

> The 80 degrees means that her field of vision is less than 80 degrees

>wide - generally tunnel vision. The 20 over 200 means she has to get within

>20 feet to see what people having 20/20 vision can see at 200 feet. Thus,

>20/20 vision means a person can see at 20 feet what others having good

>vision can also see at 20 feet.

>

>Hope this helps,

>

>Walt

>

>

>

> Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

>

>

>No, the Library of Congress had not been mentioned before, nor had

>those websites. Thanks LaWanda. But what is " legally blind " ? My

>wife is definitely eligible, as she can't see the " E " at the top of

>the chart and can pick out NOTHING in the peripheral vision tests.

>In fact she still has a valid drivers licence but could never find

>the car, let alone drive it. She has not, however, been declared

>blind or given any advise on getting any help. I think her doctors

>have just been too involved in her more life threatening problems the

>past few years.

>

>She was never into computers when she had her vision but thats a

>possibility for her now.

>

>Del

>

>

> > I haven't been keeping up with this thread as well as I should

>perhaps, but

> > hs anyone mentioned your wife signing up with the library Of

>Congress for

> > talking books. As long as she is legally blind she can do that,

>just look

> > under state government in your phone book and find library for the

>blind,

> > talking book library, or something like that. If you can't find

>it, then

> > your local state rehabilitation department will probably know.

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

As a general rule, doctors don't refer you to rehab, I don't know

why. Well they might refer a person to private rehab, but for some reason

not to the state. The reason that her doctors have not made a declaration

of legal blindness is probably because no one has ever asked for one. If

she contacts state rehab, they will probably be able to use the records

that her doctors have, and no further appointments will have to be made.

I live in California as well, and there are many services for which she can

qualify if it is determined that she is legally blind. It really is best

to talk to a rehabilitation counsellor about that and I am not one so

wouldn't have as much information as you might want. Meanwhile I have an

800 number for the state library. That number is 1-. Give

them a call and they can tell you about getting books, she will probably be

able to do that right away. Hope this helps. LaWanda

[Guest guest]

Hi Del,

No, no; you misunderstand me. Since your wife's vision is so poor, being

able to see only light and dark, her vision is below 20 over 200. She has

what is known as light perception. She is not legally blind but actually

blind.

She would have to get a letter of blindness from her ophthomologist.

It is not surprising that the ophthomologist did not mention state

rehabillitation; s/he probably doesn't even know about it.

What you do is call your state's department for the blind; it may be

listed under an umbrella name, such as department of physically handicapped.

Look under state government offices and read down the list. You'll recognize

it when you come across it because its name will be self-explanatory.

When you have that number, call and ask to talk to a vocational

rehabillitation councellor. Once there, tell him/her about your wife and ask

that a case be opened for her.

The VR counsellor will either ask for the letter stating your wife is

blind or s/he will arrange for a medical examination to determine that. Once

her case is opened, a counsellor will be assigned to her.

This counsellor will probably come to your house - or ask you and your

wife to come to the office. Once there, you will have all of the state's

services described and a program of rehabillitation will be designed for her

by you, her, and the counsellor.

The program will either have a home counsellor come to your home each

week or, possibly, have your wife enrolled in an adult rehab center. Your

wife will also be enrolled in library services, asked whether she wants a

guide dog or white cane, etc.

Since you have already been to an ophthomologist, s/he should still have

a record of her visit; therefore, either you or the state rehab can get the

ophthomologist to write the letter certifying her as being blind.

Hope this helps,

Walt

Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

Thanks for the helpful information Walter and LaWanda. In my wifes

case, the numbers probably don't mean much as she has had all of the

tests at her cand they came up with no numbers at all.

The field of vision test would not work as she could see no lights at

all and the eye charts were worthless as she had trouble even finding

the chart. She DOES know the difference between night and day (if

the sun is shining) but I have to guide her to walk anywhere or she

will trip over or walk into everything. She cannot tell even that

she is in her own home of 36 years. They said that glasses would do

nothing for her and she has had no improvement in the past year.

From your note I imply that she has to have the State declare her

legally blind before she can qualify for any type of assistance and

that that declaration must come from the State directly, not from her

doctors. Thanks, I will give the state rehabilitation department a

call (we are in California). So what would such a declaration make

her eligible for?

For the past year she has been seeing a doctor of some kind several

times every week: PCPs, neurologists, cartiologists, opthomologists,

etc., etc., but none have ever suggested any rehab program to help

her cope with her vision loss. She has an appointment with her PCP

on Wednesday and I will ask him to steer us in that direction.

Del

[Guest guest]

I am a rehabilitation counselor for the blind in Pasadena. I don't know

where you live, but if you contact me in private E-mail, I can tell you who

to contact for services with the D R for your wife. There are 39

counselor-teachers throughout the State, so you must be near one. We each

cover a large geographic area, but I can tell you who to contact.

Re: Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

As a general rule, doctors don't refer you to rehab, I don't know

why. Well they might refer a person to private rehab, but for some reason

not to the state. The reason that her doctors have not made a declaration

of legal blindness is probably because no one has ever asked for one. If

she contacts state rehab, they will probably be able to use the records

that her doctors have, and no further appointments will have to be made.

I live in California as well, and there are many services for which she can

qualify if it is determined that she is legally blind. It really is best

to talk to a rehabilitation counsellor about that and I am not one so

wouldn't have as much information as you might want. Meanwhile I have an

800 number for the state library. That number is 1-. Give

them a call and they can tell you about getting books, she will probably be

able to do that right away. Hope this helps. LaWanda

[Guest guest]

Del, After reading another one of your notes, your wife is legally blind and

any rehab counselor would know that just from ophthalmological records. Any

CT would know that.

Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

Thanks for the helpful information Walter and LaWanda. In my wifes

case, the numbers probably don't mean much as she has had all of the

tests at her opthomologist and they came up with no numbers at all.

The field of vision test would not work as she could see no lights at

all and the eye charts were worthless as she had trouble even finding

the chart. She DOES know the difference between night and day (if

the sun is shining) but I have to guide her to walk anywhere or she

will trip over or walk into everything. She cannot tell even that

she is in her own home of 36 years. They said that glasses would do

nothing for her and she has had no improvement in the past year.

From your note I imply that she has to have the State declare her

legally blind before she can qualify for any type of assistance and

that that declaration must come from the State directly, not from her

doctors. Thanks, I will give the state rehabilitation department a

call (we are in California). So what would such a declaration make

her eligible for?

For the past year she has been seeing a doctor of some kind several

times every week: PCPs, neurologists, cartiologists, opthomologists,

etc., etc., but none have ever suggested any rehab program to help

her cope with her vision loss. She has an appointment with her PCP

on Wednesday and I will ask him to steer us in that direction.

Del

[Guest guest]

Actuallym Walt-to be legally blind according to field of vision, you have to

have 20 degree of vision or less.

Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

No, the Library of Congress had not been mentioned before, nor had

those websites. Thanks LaWanda. But what is " legally blind " ? My

wife is definitely eligible, as she can't see the " E " at the top of

the chart and can pick out NOTHING in the peripheral vision tests.

In fact she still has a valid drivers licence but could never find

the car, let alone drive it. She has not, however, been declared

blind or given any advise on getting any help. I think her doctors

have just been too involved in her more life threatening problems the

past few years.

She was never into computers when she had her vision but thats a

possibility for her now.

Del

> I haven't been keeping up with this thread as well as I should

perhaps, but

> hs anyone mentioned your wife signing up with the library Of

Congress for

> talking books. As long as she is legally blind she can do that,

just look

> under state government in your phone book and find library for the

blind,

> talking book library, or something like that. If you can't find

it, then

> your local state rehabilitation department will probably know.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

Thanks for the correction. It's been over 15 years, since I read it.

Actually, I thought I remembered the definition from the Federal tax

return instructions. Either my memory's worse than I thought, or it's been

changed since, or states can differ in definitions. In any case, I'll be

more less positive in my assertion. (Did he say " more less " ?)

Walt

Re: Help for the Blind <to LaWanda>

No, the Library of Congress had not been mentioned before, nor had

those websites. Thanks LaWanda. But what is " legally blind " ? My

wife is definitely eligible, as she can't see the " E " at the top of

the chart and can pick out NOTHING in the peripheral vision tests.

In fact she still has a valid drivers licence but could never find

the car, let alone drive it. She has not, however, been declared

blind or given any advise on getting any help. I think her doctors

have just been too involved in her more life threatening problems the

past few years.

She was never into computers when she had her vision but thats a

possibility for her now.

Del

> I haven't been keeping up with this thread as well as I should

perhaps, but

> hs anyone mentioned your wife signing up with the library Of

Congress for

> talking books. As long as she is legally blind she can do that,

just look

> under state government in your phone book and find library for the

blind,

> talking book library, or something like that. If you can't find

it, then

> your local state rehabilitation department will probably know.