Permanent blindness is a medical condition that occurs due to several factors, including the side effects of medications. Due to its irreversibility, the affected individual will need the support of the NDIS. If you want to access the NDIS funding for permanent blindness for a loved one or a patient, here’s how to access it.
Permanent Blindness
It is a condition where an individual experiences total and irreversible vision loss in both eyes. It is the complete absence of vision; that is, the affected individual loses the ability to perceive colours, light, shapes, and any other visual stimuli. It can’t be reversed or corrected through medical interventions like corrective lenses, surgery, or medications. It greatly impacts the individual’s ability to carry out daily activities.
Permanent blindness can be caused by various factors like eye infections (macular degeneration, glaucoma), neurological disorders, genetic conditions, injuries, and infections. Beyond the physical impact of permanent blindness on the affected individual, the individual may also suffer psychologically, thereby hurting the individual’s mental wellness and independence. Affected individuals might need rehabilitation to learn adaptive skills like braille reading.
Causes of Permanent Blindness
Several factors can cause permanent blindness. They include but not limited to;
- Eye Diseases: Eye diseases like glaucoma (an increase in intraocular pressure that causes damage to the optic nerve), macular degeneration (the deterioration of the macula that affects the central vision), retinitis pigmentosa (the progressive degeneration of the retina’s photoreceptor cells), diabetic retinopathy (the damage done to blood vessels in the retina due to diabetes).
- Injuries: Severe injuries to the head or the eyes that result in permanent damage.
- Congenital Disorders: Babies born with genetic factors that affect vision can lead to permanent blindness.
- Neurological Conditions: Neurological conditions like stroke (which affects the visual processing part of the brain) and brain tumours (which affect visual pathways or the optic nerve).
- Hereditary Conditions: Hereditary conditions include Leber’s congenital amaurosis ( a rare genetic disorder that causes early-onset blindness) and albinism (the lack of pigment in the eyes that leads to vision problems).
- Side Effects of Medication: Some medications have terrible side effects that negatively impact the vision, and continued usage of them can cause permanent damage.
- Vascular Issues: Hypertensive retinopathy (damage to the retina’s blood vessels due to high blood pressure) can cause permanent blindness.
- Malnutrition: Excessive malnutrition, especially vitamin A deficiency, can contribute to permanent blindness.
- Environment: Continual exposure to harmful chemicals and intense environmental radiation can cause permanent blindness.
- Infections and Inflammations: Optic neuritis (the inflammation of the optic nerve often associated with autoimmune conditions), infectious diseases, if not treated promptly, can lead to permanent blindness.
Symptoms of Permanent Blindness
The following symptoms can accompany the total loss of vision;
- Total Vision Loss: The primary symptom of permanent blindness is the complete absence of vision regarding light perception and visual acuity.
- No Response to Light: Patients with permanent blindness may not respond to light stimuli (that is, the pupils will not constrict in response to light).
- No Visual Perception: Individuals with permanent blindness cannot perceive shapes, colours, movement, or visual stimuli.
It’s important to note that permanent blindness and other vision-related conditions are not the same. Several medical conditions can lead to vision impairment, so it is crucial for individuals experiencing any changes in their vision to seek medical attention promptly to do a comprehensive evaluation of their vision and determine what is wrong.
How to Determine Eligibility Criteria for NDIS Funding
To be eligible for the NDIS funding, individuals must have met the following criteria;
- Australian Residency: The individual must be a permanent resident, an Australian citizen or hold a Protected Special Category Visa.
- Age Criteria: The individual must be under age 65. The NDIS is not available for people older than 65 at the time of application.
- Permanent Impairment: The blindness must be permanent and must have a significant impact on the daily living of the individual.
Services Available for Permanent Blindness Patients under NDIS
The NDIS permanent blindness funding has various services made available for people with vision impairments;
- Assistive Technology: Funds are made available for adaptive devices like magnifiers, braille displays, screen readers and other assistive technology the individual needs.
- Orientation and Mobility Training: Services to improve mobility skills and navigation, training including mobility aids and safe travel techniques.
- Home Modifications: Funds for home modifications to enhance easy accessibility in the home, like handrails and ramps.
- Therapeutic Supports: They have access to therapies like occupational therapy, physiotherapy and whatever therapy they need.
- They get assistance with daily activities like personal care.
- Transport assistance
- Training: They get funds for specialised training programs to help them develop skills and needed knowledge.
Overall, the services provided will be specialised based on the individual’s needs and goals, which will have been outlined in their NDIS plan.
How To Get NDIS Funding Permanent Blindness
To access NDIS funding for permanent blindness, you need to follow these steps;
- Assessment: The individual must have met the eligibility criteria of the NDIS. Permanent blindness is considered a significant disability, but its circumstances may vary.
- Application: Get an access request form and submit the form accompanied by relevant medical documentation and assessments that confirm the permanency of the blindness, such as reports from ophthalmologists and pertinent other specialists.
- Meeting: Once deemed eligible, the individual can have a planning meeting with an NDIS representative where discussions about needs, goals and the support required will be raised.
- Approval: Once the plan has been approved, the individual will get a funding package according to the specific requirements outlined in their NDIS plan. This funding will cover various services and supports already listed in the NDIS plan.
- Implementation: The individual can start using the approved funding by the NDIS plan.
Conclusion
Permanent blindness is a life-altering medical condition that affects an individual’s physical, emotional and psychological life. Due to its irreversibility, the individual will need much help to live comfortably. If you know an individual with permanent blindness who needs help to access the NDIS funding, reach out to us here.