In 2004 an employee becomes permanent and stationary for a bilateral loss of vision injury. How is the disability rated?

In 2004 an employee becomes permanent and stationary for a bilateral loss of vision injury. How is the disability rated?

• A. Ratings are based on vision with best practicable correction
• B. Whichever eye rates highest is used
• C. Ratings are based on uncorrected vision
• D. The standard rating shall be based on disability found under reduction of vision plus 1/2 the difference between disabilities 2.4 and 2.3

Answer: (A)

The key idea is that vision impairment ratings use the best vision the person can achieve with available correction. For a bilateral loss of vision, the rating is based on vision with best practicable correction—glasses, contacts, or other correction that realistically maximizes sight. This means we’re not judging the person’s uncorrected, natural vision, nor simply taking the better eye’s acuity. Instead, the rating reflects the residual functional vision after applying the best correction possible. That’s why this option fits: it aligns with evaluating true impairment given what correction can achieve, rather than how the eyes look without any correction or using a rule that picks only the higher eye’s acuity. The other choices would either ignore corrective potential, rely on uncorrected vision, or invoke a more complex combination method that isn’t used here.

The key idea is that vision impairment ratings use the best vision the person can achieve with available correction. For a bilateral loss of vision, the rating is based on vision with best practicable correction—glasses, contacts, or other correction that realistically maximizes sight. This means we’re not judging the person’s uncorrected, natural vision, nor simply taking the better eye’s acuity. Instead, the rating reflects the residual functional vision after applying the best correction possible.

That’s why this option fits: it aligns with evaluating true impairment given what correction can achieve, rather than how the eyes look without any correction or using a rule that picks only the higher eye’s acuity. The other choices would either ignore corrective potential, rely on uncorrected vision, or invoke a more complex combination method that isn’t used here.