Special Education Resource Guide Disability Fact Sheet

Visual Impairment
1. Define visual impairment.
As the term indicates, a visual impairment involves an issue with sight which interferes with
a students academic pursuits. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
officially defines the category as an impairment in vision that, even with correction,
adversely affects a childs educational performance.

2. Describe characteristics of students who have a visual impairment.

Crossed eyes, eyes that turn out, eyes that flutter from side to side or up and down, or
eyes that do not seem to focus are physical signs that a child has vision problems.
Clumsiness. Poor vision might be the cause when a child is constantly running into
things or falling down. He/she might have trouble realizing how close or far away objects
really are.
Short attention span
Blinking frequently or squint whenever they read or watch television
Sensitive to bright light
Might sit close to television or hold books close to their face while they read
Poor eye and hand coordination- difficulty throwing or catching a ball, tying shoes, or
copying schoolwork from the blackboard, poor handwriting

3. List classifications/types of visual impairment.

Low visual acuity means vision between 20/70 and 20/400 with the best possible
correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
Blindness is defined as a visual acuity worse than 20/400 with the best possible
correction, or a visual field of 10 degrees or less.
Legal blindness in the US means visual acuity of 20/200 or worse with the best
possible correction, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
Visual acuity of 20/70 to 20/400 (inclusive) is considered moderate visual impairment or
low vision.

4. Describe: Eligibility Criteria for Children who have a visual impairment. Note: MUST cite
source of information.
As the term indicates, a visual impairment involves an issue with sight which interferes with
a students academic pursuits. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) officially defines the category as an impairment in vision that, even with correction,
adversely affects a childs educational performance. The term includes both partial sight and
blindness. http://www.specialeducationguide.com/disability-profiles/visual-impairment/
5. Discuss cause(s) of visual impairment.
Injury to the eye
Inherited conditions of blindness and vision impairment
Infections of the eye
Amblyopia- This is basically impaired vision in one eye due to lack of its use in early
childhood.
Cataract- Cloudy of part or the entire lens of the eye.
Diabetic retinopathy
Glaucoma- This condition results due to raised pressure within the eyes. The increased
pressure impairs vision by damaging the optic nerve.
Age related Macular degeneration- or AMD that is a progressive loss of the visual acuity
due to damage to the macula that is the most sensitive part of the retina.
AIDS related visual impairment- This is usually caused by viral infections of the eye
called Cytomegalovirus or CMV retinitis.
Cancer of the eye- Retinoblastoma is the most common eye cancer of children. There
are between 300 and 400 new cases diagnosed annually.

6. List and describe at least one resource specific to visual impairment. Note: A resource is
not an article on the Internet, but an organization specific to this disability category would be
appropriate.

The American Foundation for the Blind removes barriers, creates solutions, and expands
possibilities so people with vision loss can achieve their full potential. AFB envisions a world
where people with vision loss have equal access and opportunities.
http://www.afb.org/default.aspx