Special Rules for Individuals Who Are Blind | The Red Book

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Special Rules for People Who Are Blind

What do you mean by special rules for people who are blind?	Work incentives are rules that help you return to work or work for the first time. Congress included language in the law specifically to make it easier for people who are blind to go to work. These special rules apply only to people who are blind.
How do we define blindness?	Blindness is central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with best correction, or a limitation in the field of vision in the better eye so that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle of 20 degrees or less.
Do the same conditions of blindness apply in SSDI and SSI?	No. Under SSDI, this condition must have lasted or be expected to last at least 12 months. There is no duration requirement for blindness under SSI.
What work incentives are available only to people who are blind?	Blind work expenses are available if you receive SSI based on blindness.

How We Apply Substantial Gainful Activity (SGA) Under SSDI to People Who Are Blind

How do we determine SGA for blind SSDI beneficiaries who work?	The SGA guidelines for workers who are blind, which are higher than those for non-blind workers with other disabilities, are $2,830 per month in 2026. We generally change the SGA level every year to reflect changes in general wage levels.
How do we apply SGA to blind SSDI beneficiaries who are self-employed?	We decide if work activity is SGA for self-employed people who are blind based solely on their earnings. We do not look at time spent in the business or services rendered as we do for non-blind self-employed people.
How do we determine SGA for SSDI beneficiaries who are blind and age 55 or older?	Special rules apply after your 55th birthday. If your earnings demonstrate SGA but your work requires a lower level of skill and ability than the work you did before age 55 or when you became blind, whichever is later, we will suspend, but not terminate, your benefits. Your eligibility for SSDI benefits continues indefinitely, and we pay your benefits for any month earnings fall below SGA.
Does SGA apply to people who are blind under SSI?	No. If you meet the medical definition of blindness, we do not use SGA as a factor to determine your SSI eligibility. Your SSI eligibility continues until you medically recover, or your eligibility ends because of a non- disability-related reason.

Blind Work Expenses (BWE) (SSI eligible)

How do BWE help you?	We do not count any earned income that you use to meet expenses necessary to earn that income when we decide if you are eligible for SSI and calculate your payment amount. To qualify you must be eligible for SSI based on blindness.
How is BWE different from impairment-related work expenses (IRWE)?	The BWE items do not have to be related to your blindness. When we calculate your SSI payment amount, we treat BWE items differently than IRWE. We do it this way because it always results in a higher SSI payment amount for you.
Examples of BWE	Service animal expenses. Transportation to and from work. Federal, state, and local income taxes. Social Security taxes. Attendant care services. Visual and sensory aids. Translation of materials into Braille. Professional association fees. Union dues.

Comparison of Monthly SSI Payment With BWE Versus IRWE

The table below shows how your monthly payment would be affected by BWE versus IRWE.

With $40 BWE	With $40 IRWE
$361 --- Earned Income	$361 --- Earned Income
-20 --- General Income Exclusion	-20 --- General Income Exclusion
$341	$341
-65 --- Earned Income Exclusion	-65 --- Earned Income Exclusion
$276	$276
-138 --- 1/2 Remaining Earnings	-40 --- Impairment Related Work Expenses
$138	$236
-40 --- Blind Work Expenses	-118 --- 1/2 Remaining Earnings
$ 98 --- Countable Income	$118 --- Countable Income

$967 --- 2025 Federal Benefit Rate	$967 --- 2025 Federal Benefit Rate
-98 --- Countable Income	-118 --- Countable Income
$869 --- SSI Payment	$849 --- SSI Payment

Accommodations for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired

We make all our publications and notices available in multiple formats, including braille, audio CD, and enlarged print. Also, most of our publications are available in audio format on our website at www.ssa.gov/pubs.

To select or change the way you wish to receive information from Social Security, go to our secure internet application, my Social Security, or call us toll-free at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You can also contact your local Social Security office to request an accommodation.

For more information about accommodations for people who are blind or visually impaired, refer to If You’re Blind or Have Low Vision - How We Can Help (Publication No. EN-05-10052).