Answer

A certificate of vision impairment (CVI) allows holders to more easily access services and support for individuals who are severely sight impaired.

Previously, this was referred to as being blind or sight impaired, which is sometimes referred to as being partially sighted. In Northern Ireland, the certificate goes by the name A655.

However, Jakob is not eligible for this. While his monocular vision – sight in one eye – means that he considers himself sight impaired, his good eye will largely compensate for the loss of sight in the other, which means he falls outside the criteria for a CVI.

Other situations in which a CVI is not issued include someone with very poor vision that can be corrected with glasses or contact lenses, or if the patient is receiving treatment that an ophthalmologist believes is likely to improve their eyesight.

For a CVI to be issued, there must be permanent changes to the vision in both eyes.