Vision Loss (Blindness)


The parent of a child suffering from vision loss, may be entitled to a disabled child allowance from age 91 days to 18 years and three months, provided that he meets the basic requirements.

Entitlement is determined for a child with one of the following vision loss conditions:

  1. Visual acuity in his both eyes is equal or lower than 6/60.
  2. Visual field in his both eyes is lower than 20. In this context, visual acuity will be evaluated as follows: 
    • For an eye with visual field loss of two upper fourths or more, visual acuity is considered by NII as 2 degrees lower than the actual acuity measured in this particular eye.
    • For an eye with visual field loss of one lower fourth or more, visual acuity is considered by NII as 3 degrees lower than the actual acuity measured in this particular eye.
    • For an eye with visual field loss of two lower fourths or more, visual acuity is considered by NII as 6 degrees lower than the actual acuity measured in this particular eye.

It is stressed that those tests will be performed with eyeglasses.

In case you have submitted a claim for a certificate of blindness to the Service for Blind Persons of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, you can ask the doctor to transfer the results of eye examination to the NII. In this situation, eligibility is ruled without summoning you to further examination by the NII.

Documents to be submitted

  • Claim Form for Disabled Child Allowance (fill out and send the form on-line / download the form) - please mention on the form if the child is designated to join rehabilitative daycare
  • Updated eye exam performed by an Ophthalmologist, testing visual acuity and field in each eye, with auxiliary aids.
  • Certificate of Blindness issued by the Service for Blind Persons of the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services.

Attaching all above documents to the claim will enable us to determine the allowance eligibility without summoning the child to appear before the Medical Board.

Should eligibility be established upon the documents, your right to require, within 45 days, an examination by the Medical Board in presence of the child is reserved.

Benefit rates

The child eligible for an allowance due to vision loss, is entitled to a benefit rate of 100% and an additional monthly pension, which amount overall to NIS 3,479 .

The benefit is paid retroactively for up to one year prior to the date of claim submission.

For further information on benefit payment, click here.

Important

  • You are entitled to receive, free of charge, advice and preparation for appointments at the Medical Board provided by "Helping Hand" centers.
  • It is recommended to read further on  developmental delay (until age 3) and on child depending on assistance from others in activities of daily living (from age 3). It is important to note that these types of entitlements require the actual examination of the child by the Medical Board.
  • If you were summoned to appear with your child before a Medial Board and your child does not require assistance for everyday functions – you may request these activities to be excluded from examination.
  • Prior to the Medical Board, it is recommended to prepare a list of your child's medical problems, and to indicate, during the Board, how these medical problems affect the functioning of the child and his parents.
  • Receiving a disabled child allowance entitles to benefits from other institutions and organizations

Benefit rate as of Jan 01, 2024

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