Permanent blindness is the permanent loss of sight, whether it be a full or partial loss. People that are fully blind are not able to see anything, including light. However, people that are partially blind can see some things to varying degrees depending on the severity of their blindness.
Diagnosis
Vision tests are used to diagnose someone with blindness. Your local doctor or optometrist may be able to perform these tests, or they may refer you to an ophthalmologist (eye specialist).
If you believe your eyesight is deteriorating, it is important to get them regularly checked as early detection is key to saving your eyesight.
Specific to section 24 of the NDIS Act
It is likely that someone will meet the disability requirements of section 24 of the NDIS Act if they have been assessed by an ophthalmologist and have either:
- Less than or equal to 6/60 corrected visual acuity (this refers to your eyes ability to focus on an object) on the Snellen Scale in both of your eyes
- ‘Tunnel vision’, where your field of vision is than 20 degrees in diameter
- A visual impairment equal to the severity of the above points as a result of a combination of visual defects
Signs and Symptoms
Some signs and symptoms of the onset of blindness include:
- Reduction of sight out from the side of your eyes
- Progressively worsening blurred vision
- Tunnel vision
- Double vision
Treatment
The treatment for blindness can vary from case to case, depending on what is wrong with the eyes. In some cases, there is no treatment for blindness.
Some different treatments include:
- Laser surgery
- Eye injections (injecting medicine into the eyes)
- Cataract surgery (replacing the cloudy lens with a plastic one)
- Eye drops
- Other forms of surgery
Download: 
Permanent Blindness Factsheet
Disclaimer
This fact sheet provides general information about the disability and is for informational purposes only. It is not a guarantee that you will meet the disability requirements in section 24 of the NDIS Act.
