Understanding Vision Impairment, Blindness and Legal Status

In 2024, approximately 7 million people in the United States had some degree of vision loss, including over 700,000 with blindness. Vision impairment can impact overall quality of life, including:

• Increased risk of depression
• Fewer job opportunities
• Increased risk of injuries and falls
• Impacted social skills and academic performance, in children

However, having a vision impairment does not have to stop you from having a high quality of life and independence. Continue reading to learn the differences between vision impairment, legal blindness, and total blindness, and how you can maintain independence with vision loss.