Registration of visual impairment
Form CVI
Children with severe visual impairment will be seen by a consultant ophthalmologist who will issue a Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI).
This formally certifies the child as either:
- Severely sight impaired (formerly "blind")
- Sight impaired (formerly "partially sighted")
The form is sent to Social Services, who will register the child, arrange for an assessment of needs and provide information about the services and benefits available.
Severely sight impaired
The definition of severely sight impaired is "so blind as to be able to perform any work for which eyesight is essential."
This is equivalent to 100% disablement for the DLA deaf/ blind deeming provision.
A person should be certified as severely sight impaired if they have:
- Visual acuity less than 3/60 or 1/18 Snellen.
- Visual acuity between 3/60 and 6/60 with a very restricted visual field.
Sight impaired
The definition of sight impaired is "substantially and permanently handicapped by defective vision caused by congenital (present at birth) defect or illness or injury."
A person should be certified as sight impaired if they have:
- Visual acuity between 3/60 and 6/60 with a full visual field
- Visual acuity between 6/24 and 6/60, with a moderately restricted visual field or aphakia (absent lens) or opacities (clouding) blocking vision in the eye itself.
- Visual acuity 6/18 or better with a gross defect of visual fields (of both eyes, such as hemianopia) or marked contraction of the visual field (i.e. in retinitis pigmentosa or glaucoma).
Infants and young children who have congenital ocular abnormalities leading to visual defects should be certified as sight impaired unless they are obviously severely sight impaired.
Children aged 4 and over should be certified as severely sight impaired or sight impaired according to the corrected binocular vision.
Form RVI
Staff in the hospital eye service may issue form RVI (Referral of Vision Impaired patient) to refer a patient (with their consent) for a social care assessment. This should be done as soon as social needs become apparent, but where certification is not currently appropriate or cannot be carried out, for example if they are not being seen by a consultant.
LVL leaflet
People with visual impairment can also self refer themselves to social services using leaflet LVL.
More information about the identification and notification of sight loss can be found at:
