20 CFR § 416.981 - Meaning of blindness as defined in the law.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t20/s416.981"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "20 CFR § 416.981 - Meaning of blindness as defined in the law."
title_number: 20
title_name: "Employees' Benefits"
section_number: "416.981"
section_name: "Meaning of blindness as defined in the law."
chapter_name: "SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION"
part_number: "416"
part_name: "SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY INCOME FOR THE AGED, BLIND, AND DISABLED"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-03-24"
last_updated: "2026-03-24"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "416"
---


# 416.981 Meaning of blindness as defined in the law.

We will consider you blind under the law for payment of supplemental security income benefits if we determine that you are statutorily blind. Statutory blindness is central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the use of a correcting lens. An eye which has a limitation in the field of vision so that the widest diameter of the visual field subtends an angle no greater than 20 degrees is considered to have a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less.