Employees with Vision 

Impairments 

Accommodation and Compliance Series
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

2 

Preface 

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a service of the Office of Disability 

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contact JAN. 

Authored by Beth Loy, Ph.D. Updated 03/23/10. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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JAN’S ACCOMMODATION AND COMPLIANCE SERIES

Introduction 

JAN’s Accommodation and Compliance Series is designed to help employers determine 

effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA). Each publication in the series addresses a specific medical condition and 

provides information about the condition, ADA information, accommodation ideas, and 

resources for additional information. 

The Accommodation and Compliance Series is a starting point in the accommodation 

process and may not address every situation. Accommodations should be made on a 

case by case basis, considering each employee’s individual limitations and 

accommodation needs. Employers are encouraged to contact JAN to discuss specific 

situations in more detail. 

For information on assistive technology and other accommodation ideas, visit JAN's 

Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) at http://askjan.org/soar. 

Information about Vision Impairments 

How many people have vision impairments? 

There are an estimated 10 million blind and visually impaired people in the United 

States, 1.3 million of which are considered legally blind (American Foundation for the 

Blind, 2008a). Of this number, approximately 109,000 people use long canes for 

assistance, while about 7,000 individuals use service dogs (American Foundation for 

the Blind, 2008a). 

What types of vision impairments are there? 

Vision impairments result from conditions that range from the presence of some usable 

vision, low vision, to the absence of any vision, total blindness. Low vision is a term that 

describes a person with a vision impairment that cannot be improved by correction but 

has some usable vision remaining. Legal blindness is defined as 20/200 or less in the 

better eye with the best possible correction. Errors of refraction, diseases of the eye, 

and other vision-related conditions are usually the cause of vision loss. Each of these 

categories includes more specific disorders, which are described below (American 

Foundation for the Blind, 2008b). 

• Common Errors of Refraction 

Myopia (Nearsightedness): Close objects look clear while distant objects appear 

blurred. 

Hyperopia (Farsightedness): The ability to see objects clearly at a distance while close 

objects appear blurry. 
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Astigmatism: Due to the irregular curvature of the cornea, vision is blurry for both near 

and far objects. 

Presbyopia: The eye lens becomes less elastic (associated with aging) and produces 

blurred vision when focusing on near objects. 

• Common Diseases of the Eye 

Cataracts: Clouding of the eye’s lens that causes loss of vision. 

Glaucoma: Pressure inside the eye is elevated and can cause damage to the optic 

nerve, which results in damage to peripheral vision. 

Macular Degeneration: There is a disturbance of blood vessels in the eye resulting in 

progressive loss of central vision. 

Retinitis Pigmentosa: There is a degeneration of pigment in the eye that is needed to 

absorb light and create visual images, leading to “tunnel vision” and night blindness. 

Retinopathy (due to Diabetes): Retinopathy typically affects the blood circulation of the 

retina, which causes blotchy vision. 

• Other Vision Related Conditions 

Night Blindness: Night blindness results from pigmentary degeneration of the retina, 

which leads to difficulty seeing in low light. 

Color Vision Deficiency: A color vision deficiency occurs when cone cells of the retina, 

which provide daylight and color vision, are affected and there is difficulty distinguishing 

among colors. Typically this only involves certain hues, for example a red–green 

deficiency; total color blindness (achromatic vision) is rare. 

Lack of Depth Perception: A lack of depth perception is often caused by the loss of sight 

in one eye, resulting in difficulty with foreground/background discrimination. 

Floaters: Floaters are small specks or clouds moving in the field of vision. 
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Vision Impairments and the Americans with Disabilities Act 

Do people with vision impairments have disabilities under the ADA? 

The ADA does not contain a list of medical conditions that constitute disabilities. 

Instead, the ADA has a general definition of disability that each person must meet 

(EEOC, 1992). Therefore, some people with vision impairments will have a disability 

under the ADA and some will not. 

A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially 

limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as 

having such an impairment (EEOC, 1992). For more information about how to 

determine whether a person has a disability under the ADA, visit 

http://askjan.org/corner/vol02iss04.htm. 

Accommodating Employees with Vision Impairments 

(Note: People with vision impairments may develop some of the limitations discussed 

below, but seldom develop all of them. Also, the degree of limitation will vary among 

individuals. Be aware that not all people with vision impairments will need 

accommodations to perform their jobs and many others may only need a few 

accommodations. The following is only a sample of the possibilities available. 

Numerous other accommodation solutions may exist.) 

Questions to Consider: 

1. What limitations is the employee with the vision impairment experiencing? 

2. How do these limitations affect the employee and the employee’s job performance? 

3. What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations? 

4. What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems? Are all 

possible resources being used to determine possible accommodations? 

5. Has the employee who has the vision impairment been consulted regarding possible 

accommodations? 

6. Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with the employee 

who has a vision impairment to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations 

and to determine whether additional accommodations are needed? 

7. Do supervisory personnel and employees need training regarding employees who 

have vision impairments? 

Depending on the individual’s limitations and job functions, additional questions may 

need to be asked to determine what accommodations can be effective. For example: 
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No vision considerations: 

• Does the individual read Braille? 

• Does the individual use a cane, navigational aid, or animal to assist with 

mobility? 

Low vision considerations: 

• Is the individual’s condition progressive or stable? 

• Does the individual benefit from magnification? 

• Does the individual use corrective lenses or assistive devices? 

• Does the individual use a cane, navigational aid, or animal to assist with 

mobility? 

Color vision deficiency considerations: 

• What colors does the individual have difficulty distinguishing? 

• Would the individual benefit from special red contact lens worn on one eye or 

prescription glasses? 

• Do the individual’s job functions lend themselves to the use of talking 

products that scan a color and announce a description of the color? 

Accommodation Ideas: 

Reading Printed Materials: 

Low Vision: 

• Closed circuit television (CCTV) system, which is sometimes referred to as an 

electronic or video magnifier 

• Hand, stand, or portable magnifier 

• Information in large print 

Note: The American Foundation for the Blind (2008c) recommends that the 

font size be at least 16 point but preferably 18 point. 

• Photo copier enlarged paper material 

• Color paper, acetate sheet, or overlay to increase color contrast between 

printed text and document background 

• Optical devices such as monoculars or binocular systems, loupes, or prism 

spectacles 

• Frequent breaks to rest eyes when fatigue is a factor 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Auditory versions of printed document 

• Braille formatted document 

• Reformatted document that displays as accessible Web page 

• The Kurzweil-National Federation of the Blind Reader, which takes a picture 

of a text document and reads the contents of the printed document in clear 

synthetic speech 

• Optical character recognition (OCR), which scans printed text and provides a 

synthetic speech output or text-based computer file 
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• Qualified reader, which may be used to “be the eyes” for a person with a 

vision impairment 

Note: There currently is not a standard for providing or hiring readers, and no 

certification requirements exist. 

• Tactile graphic document 

Accessing Computer Information: 

Low Vision: 

• Increased operating system font size with large-size computer monitors 

Note: Computer users can modify their computer display so that text is shown 

in large print 

• Screen magnification software 

• Locator dots and/or large print keyboard labels for keyboard navigation 

• External computer screen magnifier 

• Flicker-free monitor 

• Anti-glare guard and computer glasses to reduce glare 

• Frequent breaks to rest eyes when fatigue is a factor 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Screen reading software 

• Computer Braille display 

• Qualified reader 

Writing Notes and Completing Forms: 

Low Vision: 

• Closed circuit television (CCTV) system, which is sometimes referred to as an 

electronic or video magnifier 

• Pens that include a bold felt tip or lighted pen 

• Paper with tactile lines, bold print, or low glare 

• Form/line guide 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Personal data assistants, notetakers, and laptops with speech output or 

Braille display 

• Cassette or digital recorder 

• Braille stylus/Braille slate 

• Braille printer or embosser 

• Scribe 

Accessing a Telephone: 

Low Vision: 
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• Large print/color labels or tactile markings on telephone to identify keys and 

lines 

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Telephone light sensor, which is held over a phone line to indicate if a line is 

lit steady or blinking 

Note: Line status is indicated by audible or vibrating signal 

• Talking telephone console indicators and message displays 

Working with Money: 

Low Vision: 

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier 

• Task lighting or headlamp 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Talking money identifier, cash register, coin counter/sorter, calculator 

• Training on how to fold money for identification purposes 

Reading from Instrument or Control Board: 

Low Vision: 

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier 

• Large print/color labels or tactile markings on telephone to identify keys and 

lines 

• Task lighting 

• Glare reduction 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Braille/tactile labels or indicators 

• Qualified reader 

• Instrument modification by manufacturer, rehabilitation engineer, or employer 

Repairing, Constructing, Assembling Pieces/Parts: 

Low Vision: 

• Hand/stand magnifier or optical magnifier 

• Task lighting 

• CCTV 

No Vision (individuals with low vision may find the following helpful also): 

• Braille/tactile labels or indicators 

• Talking multimeter, micrometer, caliper, stud finder, level, tape measure 

• Tactile ratchet-action wrench 
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Mobility: 

• Service animal and/or mobility aid (e.g., cane, electronic aid) 

• Mobility and orientation training 

• Detectable warning surfaces 

• Colored and/or textured edges on stairs 

• Improved area lighting 

• Traveling/evacuation partner 

• Tactile map of evacuation and common routes 

• Talking landmark or global positioning system 

Driving: 

• Shift change to daylight hours 

• Driver (e.g., hired driver, volunteer, coworker) 

• Public transportation or carpool 

• Modified or flexible work schedule to meet public transportation needs 

• Reassignment 

• Telework 

Working with Light Sensitivity: 

• Lower wattage of overhead lights 

• Task or alternative lighting 

• Full spectrum lighting and/or filters 

• Flicker free lighting 

• Tinted optical wear 

• Workstation relocation 

• Window treatments 

Distinguishing Colors: 

• Labels 

• X-Chrome lens 

• Prescribed glasses for color discrimination 

• Colored acetate sheets 

• Assistant to identify colors such as a volunteer or co-worker 

Other Accommodation Considerations: 

• Training materials or company correspondence in alternate format (e.g., large 

print, Braille, CD-ROM, audiotape) 

• Time off for training on adaptive technology, mobility training, and/or service 

animal training 

• Additional training beyond what is typically given to others 
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• Accessible versions of employee related Web sites or Intranet material 

Note: See Tips for Designing Accessible Web Pages at 

http://askjan.org/media/webpages.html 

Situations and Solutions: 

A custodian with low vision in a public school setting was having difficulty viewing the 

carpeted area he was vacuuming. A lighting system was mounted on the custodian's 

industrial vacuum cleaner and the custodian was provided a headlamp. 

A typist with low vision was having some difficulty distinguishing among certain 

character keys. She was provided with a glare guard for the computer monitor and large 

print keyboard labels, which significantly enhanced accuracy. 

An assistant for a disability program had complete loss of vision in one eye and low 

vision in the other. The assistant was having problems reading printed paper copies. A 

portable magnifier and a CCTV were used to magnify materials. 

An individual with no vision was placed in a switchboard operator position for a large 

service complex building. The person needed to be aware of what telephone lines were 

on hold, in use, or ringing. She was provided with a light sensor to assist in determining 

the console buttons that were lit, blinking, and/or steady. The telephone console was 

also modified to provide the employee with ring differentiation for external versus 

internal calls. 

A customer service representative for a financial institution lost his vision and could no 

longer read his computer screen. The employer provided screen reading software for 

his computer so that all information present on the screen and all information inputted 

into the system would be read back to him. 

Products: 

There are numerous products that can be used to accommodate people with limitations. 

JAN's Searchable Online Accommodation Resource at http://askjan.org/soar is 

designed to let users explore various accommodation options. Many product vendor 

lists are accessible through this system; however, JAN provides these lists and many 

more that are not available on the Web site upon request. Contact JAN directly if you 

have specific accommodation situations, are looking for products, need vendor 

information, or are seeking a referral. 

 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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Resources 

Job Accommodation Network 

West Virginia University 

PO Box 6080 

Morgantown, WV 26506-6080 

Toll Free: (800)526-7234 

TTY: (877)781-9403 

Fax: (304)293-5407 

jan@askjan.org 

http://askjan.org 

The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a free consulting service that provides 

information about job accommodations, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and 

the employability of people with disabilities. 

Office of Disability Employment Policy 

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-1303 

Washington, DC 20210 

Toll Free: (866)633-7635 

TTY: (877)889-5627 

Fax: (202)693-7888 

http://www.dol.gov/odep/ 

The Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) is an agency within the U.S. 

Department of Labor. ODEP provides national leadership to increase employment 

opportunities for adults and youth with disabilities while striving to eliminate barriers to 

employment. 

American Council of the Blind 

1155 15th Street NW, Suite 1400 

Washington, DC 20005 

Toll Free: (800)424-8666 

Direct: (202)467-5081 

info@acb.org 

http://www.acb.org 

ACB strives to improve the well-being of all blind and visually impaired people by 

serving as a representative national organization of blind people; elevating the social, 

economic and cultural levels of blind people; improving educational and rehabilitation 

facilities and opportunities; cooperating with the public and private institutions and 

organizations concerned with blind services; encouraging and assisting all blind persons 

to develop their abilities and conducting a public education program to promote greater 

understanding of blindness and the capabilities of blind people. 
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American Foundation for the Blind 

11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300 

New York, NY 10001 

Toll Free: (800)232-5463 

Direct: (212)502-7600 

Fax: (212)502-7777 

afbinfo@afb.net 

http://www.afb.org 

The American Foundation for the Blind is addresses the most critical issues facing the 

growing population of people who are blind or visually impaired: independent living, 

literacy, employment, and technology. 

Helen Keller National Center for Deaf-Blind Youths and Adults 

141 Middle Neck Road 

Sands Point, NY 11050 

Direct: (516)944-8900 

TTY: (516)944-8900 

hkncinfo@hknc.org 

http://www.hknc.org 

The Helen Keller National Center provides comprehensive vocational rehabilitation 

training and assistance with job and residential placements. 

National Braille Press 

88 St. Stephen Street 

Boston, MA 02115-4302 

Toll Free: (888)965-8965 

Direct: (617)266-6160 

http://www.nbp.org 

The National Braille Press is a nonprofit Braille printer and publisher offering Braille 

books, magazines, textbooks, tests, and customized embossing services. 

National Federation of the Blind 

1800 Johnson Street 

Baltimore, MD 21230 

Direct: (410)659-9314 

Fax: (410)685-5653 

pmaurer@nfb.org 

http://www.nfb.org 

With more than 50,000 members, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) is the 

largest and most influential membership organization of blind people in the United 

States. The NFB improves blind people’s lives through advocacy, education, research, 

technology, and programs encouraging independence and self-confidence. 
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Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic 

20 Roszel Road 

Princeton, NJ 08540 

Toll Free: (866)732-3585 

Direct: (609)520-8044 

Fax: (609)987-8116 

custserv@rfbd.org 

http://www.rfbd.org 

The Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic is a nonprofit volunteer organization, the 

nation's educational library serves people who cannot effectively read standard print 

because of visual impairment, dyslexia, or other physical disability. 

Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision 

PO Drawer 6189 

Mississippi State University 

Mississippi State, MS 39762 

Direct: (662)325-2001 

TTY: (662)325-8693 

Fax: (662)325-8989 

rrtc@ra.msstate.edu 

http://www.blind.msstate.edu 

The mission of the Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low 

Vision is to prevent or alleviate the vocational, economic, and personal effects of 

blindness and severe visual impairments. 

Trace Research & Development Center 

University of Wisconsin - Madison 

2107 Engineering Centers Bldg. 

1550 Engineering Dr. 

Madison, WI 53706 

Direct: (608)262-6966 

TTY: (608)263-5408 

Fax: (608)262-8848 

info@trace.wisc.edu 

http://trace.wisc.edu 

The Trace Research & Development Center's mission is to prevent the barriers and 

capitalize on the opportunities presented by current and emerging information and 

telecommunication technologies, in order to create a world that is as accessible and 

usable as possible for as many people as possible. 
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References 

American Foundation for the Blind. (2008a). Blindness statistics. Retrieved September 

5, 2008, from http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=15 

American Foundation for the Blind. (2008b). Glossary of eye conditions. Retrieved 

September 3, 2008, from http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?DocumentID=2139 

American Foundation for the Blind. (2008c). Tips for making print more readable.

Retrieved September 3, 2008, from 

http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=26&TopicID=144&DocumentID=210 

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (1992). A technical assistance manual on 

the employment provisions (title I) of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Retrieved September 3, 2008, from http://askjan.org/links/ADAtam1.html 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

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This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a 

contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment 

Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the 

position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, 

commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of 

Labor.