What could my OH claim?

Soapn

My OH was starved of oxygen at birth, and ended up with one eye only having very, very limited sight in it. When he closes his good eye, he can hardly see anything. He's hard permanent double vision since birth.

He had an operation at 5 to try and correct the double vision, and another at 30 for the same thing.

Would he be classed as having a disability and what would he possibly be allowed to claim?

wiccanlou

It depends on what his actually sight levels were, how much he can see around him in his field of vision when looking straight on and how far he can actually see. the link I have included from the RNIB will help to define that. As for what he can claim I should think there will be someone else on here who would know those details.

http://www.rnib.org.uk/livingwithsightloss/registeringsightloss/Pages/vision_criteria.aspx

Soapn

he has massive trouble with depth deception, can see virtually nothing to his right when looking straight ahead.

rogerblack

If he has more-or-less normal vision in one eye, he is not entitled to any disability benefits based on his other eye.

You need to have very poor vision in all eyes.

Soapn

rogerblack wrote: »

If he has more-or-less normal vision in one eye, he is not entitled to any disability benefits based on his other eye.

You need to have very poor vision in all eyes.

all eyes, or just the 2 he's got?:p

He's be well and truly skewed if anything happened to his "good eye" as we call it.

rogerblack

Soapn wrote: »

all eyes, or just the 2 he's got?:p

He's be well and truly skewed if anything happened to his "good eye" as we call it.

Very poor sight in both eyes, or no sight in one eye, and poor sight in the remaining eye, or poor sight in the only eye.

The fact that you may be more disabled in the future if someone pokes your eye out does not entitle you to benefit now.

formaldehyde_perfume

The fact he has double vision permanently to me seems to suggest that his vision is not normal in the 'good' eye, but either way it is unlikely to mean he would qualify for any benefits. Others will know more than me, as it is not something I have personal knowledge of.

wiccanlou

They may be entitled to free eye tests and help towards the cost of complex lenses if required under the help with health costs scheme if they fit the criteria for visually impaired please see page 34 of the pdf link. http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/healthcosts/documents/healthcosts/hc11.pdf

Soapn

permanent double vision, and 10% vision in one eye isn't counted as a disability, but a kid with ADHD does? Quel surprise!

moose1982

Soapn, I think he would score some points on the care side of things (thinking along the lines of DLA and possibly carers allowance), but not enough to get the lower rate of care.

For example, there was something in my DLA claim form was of being unable to select a CD and place it in the player, and so someone else needing to do that. Also cutting up veg for dinner if he couldn't see the knife safely enough to be able to use it. I'm sorry if I was assuming on those examples and it isn't quite his situation, everyone is different and only you and him will know his situation.

wonderemxx

No I am afraid it doesn't count as a disability and neither would ADHD so a child getting DLA (or something else) would obviously have other problems.