ADA Definition of Visual Impairments
According to the American Foundation of the Blind, over 25 million Americans suffer impaired vision. Congress passed the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act to provide accommodation for and prevent discrimination against people with disabilities which include vision impairment.
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ADA Definition of Disability
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The ADA defines a disability as an impairment that substantially limits a person's ability to conduct activities such as performing manual tasks, moving independently and being able to care for oneself. The definition of disability doesn't hinge upon corrective aids used by a disabled person or his adaptation to his disability.
Visual Impairments Under the ADA
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Vision impairments of a lesser degree than blindness may be considered disabilities under the ADA depending on their severity. A person with a visual impairment is considered disabled if they're unable to drive or easily read even with the strongest available corrective lenses, and people who are blind in one eye and lack depth perception are considered disabled.
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ADA Provisions
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Public places must make accommodations for visually impaired people such as permitting service animals into the establishment. Employers can't discriminate against a visually impaired applicant unless the job's fundamental nature requires a person with sight.
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References
- United Cerebral Palsy: Housing
- United States Access Board: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008
- U.S. Department of Justice: Americans with Disabilities Act: Questions and Answers
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Questions and Answers About Blindness and Vision Impairments in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act
- American Foundation for the Blind: About Us
