Glossary
20/20
Normal visual acuity. The upper number indicates the 20 feet between the eye being tested and the eye chart, and the lower number expresses that the tested eye can see the same small, standard-sized letters or symbols as a normal eye at 20 feet.
Blindness/Legally Blind
Vision of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the best correction possible or visual fields reduced to less than 20 degrees.
BSVI
Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired.
BVR
Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Cataract
Opacity or cloudiness of the eye’s natural lens which degrades the quality of the image. This disease may be congenital, or caused by trauma, disease, or age.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Damage to the retina caused by complications of diabetes mellitus, which could eventually lead to blindness.
Glaucoma
An eye disease leading to damage to the optic nerve. Increased intraocular pressure is often a factor in this potentially devastating vision loss. This is a common cause of preventable vision loss.
Macular Degeneration
The macula is a region of the retina that provides detail vision. Damage or degeneration of the macula leads to loss of acuity and greatly impacts tasks like reading and facial recognition. This is a leading cause of visual impairment in the aging population. This is the most common cause of decreased vision in people over 60.
Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP)
A group of genetic eye conditions that first affect peripheral vision and night vision. Early development of cataracts often occurs. Central vision is often affected in the later stages.
RSC
The
Vision Rehabilitation
Services that help those with visual impairment to maximize their remaining vision.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Services that help people with disabilities to identify and practice vocational skills and seek and maintain employment.
