Half Blind - Entitlements/Benefits

Sofa King

Hi Everyone,

I am writing this on behalf of my father as I need information.

My father has worked full time all his life but in recent years has been moved back to 3 days a week.

As he's getting older (nearly 60), he's come to the realisation that he has to finally give into his disability.

Over 20 years ago (he was about 33/34) he lost the sight in one eye, his retna detached and I suppose his pride got in place and he never went about it and just carried on working after a few months getting adjusted to the loss of sight in eye but now as I said, he's finally given into the realisation that he has a disability and not as mobile as he used to be.

He drives and still wants to as the vision in his 'good eye' is still good but he's looking into getting a Parking Permit for car parks etc as it would give him a bit more extra room when parking as he does have a blind spot and it can be a inconvenience even when walking in built up areas.

I'm looking for help on here to find out what else would he be entitled to?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

looksee

To get a parking permit - presumably a disabled/wheelchair card - he will have to go to his gp, who will contact the Irish Wheelchair Association to ask for the permit.

The gp might conclude that he should not be driving. If his sight is poor enough that he has problems, ie parking, it may be concluded that his sight is not good enough for driving, though this is not inevitable.

Having sight in only one eye is a situation that has to have a medical report when he renews his license.

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Licensed-Drivers/Safe-driving/Medical-Issues/

Sofa King

looksee wrote: »

To get a parking permit - presumably a disabled/wheelchair card - he will have to go to his gp, who will contact the Irish Wheelchair Association to ask for the permit.

The gp might conclude that he should not be driving. If his sight is poor enough that he has problems, ie parking, it may be concluded that his sight is not good enough for driving, though this is not inevitable.

Having sight in only one eye is a situation that has to have a medical report when he renews his license.

http://www.rsa.ie/RSA/Licensed-Drivers/Safe-driving/Medical-Issues/

Thanks for the reply.

I emailed the DDAI on his behalf and they said he has to be registered with NCBI.

As of this morning (after he rang the NCBI), he booked a test with the Optometrist and I informed him to get both the Eye Sight Report & Medical Report filled out by both optometrist and GP respectively.

This will be done by the end of the week.

Better safe than sorry!

Odyssey 2005

Can someone with sight in only one eye legally drive a car ?

looksee

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Can someone with sight in only one eye legally drive a car ?

Essentially, yes, though it may require approval.

Sofa King

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Can someone with sight in only one eye legally drive a car ?

Yes but they are not permitted to drive large vehicles such as Bus/Truck.

Odyssey 2005

And what about insurance companies,what would their opinion be I wonder.

Sofa King

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

And what about insurance companies,what would their opinion be I wonder.

Once the disability is disclosed at the point of purchase.

Same way a person in a wheelchair has to disclose their disability.

Odyssey 2005

Thank you SK. Hope it all works out. Wasn't being negative,genuinely interested as there is a visually impaired member in my family.

Sofa King

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Thank you SK. Hope it all works out. Wasn't being negative,genuinely interested as there is a visually impaired member in my family.

No worries, I didn't take anything negative from your questions.

I pretty much asked my father all those questions when I was younger.

I see my father every 2/3 months (he's in Cork and i'm in Galway) and it's scary to see the young tough man I grew up with get older and older looking by the day and especially now that he's conceded the fact that he's not that young tough man anymore.

The biggest issue he has is, that he works 3 days and gets 3 days from the social, and despite getting more older and being blind in the one eye, the social are onto him constantly to get a fulltime job and he's worn out from trying to do so.

He's worked with the same company for about 20 years and is only a few years away from retirement but yet the social keep on and on to him.

In fairness, who is going to hire a (nearly) 60 year old man whose blind in one eye?

Odyssey 2005

Would he not be better on disability allowance and working part time. I think you can earn €120 after tax and still keep the DA

Sofa King

Odyssey 2005 wrote: »

Would he not be better on disability allowance and working part time. I think you can earn €120 after tax and still keep the DA

I suppose that's the whole purpose of this thread to help point me in the right direction.

If it helps in getting the social off his back and there is any other entitlements that he should get then he'll do whatever needs to be done.

panda100

You really need to register him with NCBI. They are an excellent service and will provide you and your family with good advice.

Could he apply for Blind Persons Tax credit if he is working : http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/it/leaflets/it35.html