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Visual Impairment Facts & Worksheets

Visual Impairment, or blindness, is a lack of visual perception caused by physiological or neurological reasons. Several scales have been established to describe the severity of vision loss and to define blindness.

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Blindness is a lack of visual perception caused by physiological or neurological reasons. Several scales have been established to describe the severity of vision loss and to define blindness.

See the fact file below for more information about Visual Impairment, or you can download our 27-page Visual Impairment worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

TYPES OF BLINDNESS

  • The following definition of blindness was established by the American Medical Association in 1934:

Central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with corrective glasses or central visual acuity of more than 20/200 if there is a visual field defect in which the peripheral field is contracted to such an extent that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angular distance no greater than 20 degrees in the better eye.

Healthcare professionals classify blindness into the following categories:

  • Total Blindness
    • This occurs when a person is unable to see anything, including light. Only 15% of people with eye issues are entirely blind.
  • Legal Blindness
    • This is when your best-seeing eye’s center vision is 20/200, even when corrected with glasses or contact lenses. Compared to someone with 20/20 vision, 20/200 eyesight requires you to be 10x closer or an object to be 10x larger to see. 
    • Furthermore, if the field of vision or peripheral vision is substantially decreased (less than 20 degrees), you may be legally blind.
  • Congenital Blindness
    • This refers to being born with weak vision. Inherited eye and retinal disorders, as well as non-inherited birth abnormalities, are among the causes.
  • Partial Blindness
    • Individuals who have partial blindness still have some peripheral vision. This is commonly referred to as “low vision.”
  • Nutritional Blindness
    • This term refers to eyesight loss caused by a lack of vitamin A. If vitamin A insufficiency persists, damage to the eye’s front surface (xerophthalmia) can occur. 
  • Color blindness, which is not blindness in the classic sense, may pique your interest. This condition is also known as color deficit. Colors are perceived differently by every individual. This condition can be inherited or acquired due to retinal or optic nerve disease or damage. Achromatopsia occurs when one can only see black, white, or shades of gray.
  • People may also hear the terms preventable or avoidable blindness. These words refer to blindness occurring in persons with a treatable disease but not receiving treatment. This is frequently caused by poor access to eye care or healthcare.

CAUSES OF BLINDNESS

  • The following are the top causes of visual impairment and blindness worldwide:

Refractive Errors

Refractive errors are a type of vision problem that makes seeing challenging. They arise when the shape of your eye prevents light from correctly centering on the retina, which is the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of your eye.

Cataract

A cataract is a clouded region in a person’s eye lens (the clear part of your eye that helps focus light). Cataracts are quite common as people age. According to the National Eye Institute, more than half of all Americans aged 80 and up have cataracts or have had cataract surgery.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Elevated blood sugar levels cause diabetes-related retinopathy. Too much sugar in your blood can cause long-term damage to the retina, the region of the eye that detects light and conveys information to your brain via an optic nerve in the back of the eye. Diabetes damages blood vessels all over the body.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a category of eye diseases that can result in vision loss and blindness if the optic nerve in the back of the eye is injured. The symptoms may arise gradually and go unnoticed.

PREVALENCE

  • The World Health Organization states that at least 2.2 billion people worldwide have a near or far vision impairment. Vision impairment may have been avoided or remedied in at least 1 billion, or nearly half of these cases.
  • The most common disorders causing distance vision impairment or blindness among these billion individuals are cataracts (94 million), refractive error (88.4 million), glaucoma (7.7 million), and diabetic retinopathy (3.9 million). Presbyopia (826 million) is the most common cause of near vision impairment.
  • Presbyopia is a physiological deficiency of accommodation caused by the age of the eye, resulting in a steadily diminishing capacity to focus effectively on close objects.
  • Regarding regional differences, low- and middle-income countries are expected to have four times the prevalence of far vision impairment as high-income regions. 
  • Concerning near vision, rates of untreated near vision impairment are believed to be greater than 80% in all parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. 
  • In comparison, rates are claimed to be fewer than 10% in high-income regions such as Australasia, Asia-Pacific, North America, and Western Europe.

CHILDHOOD BLINDNESS

  • Childhood blindness contributes significantly to the national prevalence of blindness handicaps. Blindness in children is defined as a visual acuity of 3/60 or better in the eye of a child under 16. This often means that the youngster cannot see an object ten feet (three meters) in the distance than another child can see if it is 200 feet (60 meters) away.
  • Childhood blindness is caused by a variety of factors, ranging from genetic and congenital conditions to micronutrient deficiencies (vitamin A) and infectious diseases (measles, ophthalmia neonatorum, rubella) to conditions requiring specialized surgical treatment, such as childhood cataracts, glaucoma, and retinopathy of prematurity. Retinopathy of prematurity is more than a growing problem in developed and fast-developing regions.
  • Childhood blindness is diagnosed using procedures that assess the affected kid’s visual impairment level. Early detection is critical for providing children with early intervention. 
  • The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends several screening approaches for infant blindness and other ocular problems beginning with babies and continuing throughout childhood. The red reflex test, which involves shining a light into the child’s eyes, checks newborns.
  • As cited in a study entitled, Epidemiology of childhood blindness: A community-based study in Bangladesh, globally, roughly 1.4 million children are blind, accounting for 4% of the global blind population, with an additional 17.5 million at risk of acquiring poor vision. Even though this figure is substantially smaller than the number of blind adults, the estimated economic and social impact of blindness for children is much higher due to the growth in blind years. Children having genetic ancestors from Africa and Asia have the highest prevalence of childhood blindness, accounting for 75% of the world’s affected population.

PREVENTION OF VISUAL IMPAIRMENT

Comprehensive dilated eye exam

Regarding common vision difficulties, several people are unaware that glasses or contact lenses could help them see better. Furthermore, several common eye disorders, such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration, frequently have no symptoms. Only a dilated eye exam can detect these disorders in their early stages.

Maintaining the blood sugar levels

Diabetes is responsible for 90% of blindness. Ask a healthcare team to assist in setting and meeting blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol objectives, collectively known as the ABCs of diabetes. 

Knowing the family’s eye history

Inquire about the eye health history of the family members. Because many eye disorders and conditions are inherited, knowing if anyone in the family has been evaluated is crucial. This information can help determine if a person is at a higher risk of developing an eye disease or condition.

Eye rest

If a person spends a lot of time at the computer or concentrating on one item, he or she may need to remember to blink, and the eyes may become weary. Try the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, glance aside for 20 seconds around 20 feet looking away. This quick workout can help relieve eye strain.

KNOWN PERSONALITIES WITH BLINDNESS

Helen Adams Keller was an author, disability rights champion, political activist, and lecturer from the United States. She was born in West Tuscumbia, Alabama, and lost sight and hearing when she was 19 months old due to an illness. 

Marla Lee Runyan is a legally blind American track and field athlete, road runner, and marathon runner. She has three national titles in the women’s 5000 meters.

Andrea Bocelli is a tenor from Italy. Bocelli was born with congenital glaucoma and became completely blind at 12 due to a brain hemorrhage caused by a football accident.

Visual Impairment Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Visual Impairment across 27 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Visual Impairment. Blindness is a lack of visual perception caused by physiological or neurological reasons. Several scales have been established to describe the severity of vision loss and to define blindness.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Visual Impairment (Blindness) Facts
  2. Myth vs. Fact
  3. Eye Care
  4. Let’s be Better
  5. Walk in my Shoes
  6. Childhood Blindness
  7. Accommodation
  8. Changing Time
  9. Toolkit
  10. Inspiration
  11. Solidarity

Frequently Asked Questions

What is visual impairment?

Visual impairment refers to a condition in which a person experiences limitations in their ability to see clearly or at all. It can range from mild to severe and may be caused by various eye diseases, injuries, or congenital conditions.

What are the common causes of visual impairment?

Common causes of visual impairment include age-related macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, retinal detachment, and various genetic eye disorders. Some people are born with visual impairments due to congenital conditions.

How is visual impairment diagnosed?

Visual impairment is typically diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination performed by an ophthalmologist or optometrist. This examination may include tests to measure visual acuity, assess peripheral vision, examine the health of the eye’s structures, and determine the cause and severity of the impairment.

What assistive devices are available for people with visual impairments?

People with visual impairments can benefit from a range of assistive devices, including braille displays and embossers for reading and writing, screen readers and magnification software for computers and mobile devices, white canes for mobility and navigation, and audio books or text-to-speech technology for accessing written content.

How can society be more inclusive for individuals with visual impairments?

To create a more inclusive society for individuals with visual impairments, it’s important to ensure accessibility in various areas. This includes making public spaces and transportation accessible, providing materials in accessible formats (such as braille or audio), implementing web accessibility standards, promoting equal employment opportunities, and fostering awareness and understanding of visual impairment to reduce stigma and discrimination.

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Link will appear as Visual Impairment Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 18, 2023

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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