Awareness Makes a Difference: February is National Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Month

Did you know more than 6.6 million Americans have a visual disability? This February, Ticket to Work recognizes National Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Low Vision Awareness Month by sharing employment resources for those who are blind and low vision.

AMD is a disease that affects part of the back of the eye, and can cause your vision to become blurry or wavy. AMD can also cause blind spots. As you age, your risk for AMD increases.

Low vision, on the other hand, means that even with glasses, contact lenses, medicine or surgery, people find everyday tasks requiring eyesight difficult to do. Low vision is not a natural part of getting older and can happen at any age. Both AMD and low vision can greatly affect your quality of life.

For those with blindness or low vision, finding a path to work can be challenging, but Ticket to Work is here to help! To learn about your options for work and the job support resources available, those who are blind or have low vision and are receiving Social Security disability benefits can:

1. Listen to this Ticket Talk podcast about the job support resources available for people with visual disabilities.

2. Use the Find Help tool to narrow your search for a service provider in your area to those that serve people who are blind and low vision.

3. Read this blog post about how to obtain assistive technology. Assistive technology broadens the type of jobs people with disabilities can do. If you need assistive technology for your job, there are a number of ways to get help.

For more information about AMD, low vision and blindness, visit the American Foundation for the Blind and the National Eye Institute.

Do you or someone you know have a visual disability and want to work? Call 1-866-968-7842 (V) or 1-866-833-2967 (TTY) to learn how the Ticket to Work program can help you on your path to financial independence.

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