Getting Social Security Disability Benefits for Keratoconus

Keratoconus (ker-uh-tuh-KOH-nuss) occurs when small fibers of protein in the eye (collagen) become weak and can't hold the part of the eye that focuses light (the cornea) in shape, causing it to bulge out into a cone. This makes it difficult for the eye to focus, with or without glasses, and can cause permanent vision loss if left untreated. The causes of keratoconus aren't well known, but genetics may play a role. People with Down syndrome, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, or retinitis pigmentosa may be at a higher risk of developing keratoconus.

Out of the 14 million Americans who suffer from visual impairments, about 200,000 have keratoconus. While the disorder itself isn't inherently disabling, advanced cases of keratoconus can cause vision loss that can interfere with the ability to perform many job functions involving visual acuity. If the vision loss is severe enough to interfere with your ability to work, you may qualify for Social Security disability benefits.

Is Keratoconus a Disability?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) awards disability benefits to people who have a medically determinable impairment that keeps them from working full-time for at least one year. That means in order to get disability, you'll need to provide evidence that your keratoconus symptoms rule out all kinds of jobs—which isn't easy to do. Symptoms of keratoconus that can reduce your ability to work include the following:

• blurry vision that isn't easily corrected by glasses or contacts
• halos or glares surrounding bright lights
• difficulty seeing at night
• eye irritation
• double vision
• headaches with associated eye pain, and
• sensitivity to bright light.

When you apply for disability benefits for keratoconus, the SSA will review your medical records for evidence of a visual disorder that causes "more than a minimal effect" on your activities of daily living. Once the agency has determined that your keratoconus is a severe impairment, the SSA will then need to decide whether the impairment is severe enough to either meet a Blue Book listing or eliminate all work due to functional limitations.

Getting Disability for Keratoconus by Meeting a Vision Listing

Social Security's "Blue Book" contains a list of conditions that the agency considers severe enough to qualify for disability automatically as long as specific evidence is present in the medical record. People with medical evidence that matches the set of criteria for a particular condition in the Blue Book are said to "meet a listing."

The SSA has several listings for vision impairments: listing 2.02, Loss of central visual acuity, listing 2.03, Contraction of the visual field in the better eye, and listing 2.04, Loss of visual efficiency in the better eye. (You can find a detailed breakdown of these listing requirements in our article on getting disability for partial or total blindness.) Keep in mind that these criteria are often very difficult to meet—for example, you won't be found disabled under listing 2.02 unless you have 20/200 vision or worse in both eyes while you're wearing glasses or contacts.

However, even if you don't meet a listing, you can still qualify for disability benefits if your keratoconus symptoms keep you from performing your past jobs and you can't make the transition to another type of work. Most disability applications are approved using this method (called a "medical-vocational allowance") rather than by meeting a disability listing.

Getting Disability for Keratoconus Under a Medical-Vocational Allowance

The process by which Social Security determines what you can and can't do at work is called assessing your residual functional capacity (RFC). Your RFC is a set of restrictions that reflect the most intensive activities you're still able to do despite your keratoconus symptoms. For example, an RFC with somebody with significant keratoconus might contain the following restrictions:

• avoid working in locations with dim lighting
• avoid working at unprotected heights
• avoid working around dangerous machinery or hazards
• no operation of motor vehicles, or
• no tasks involving concentrated visual acuity.

After a Social Security claims examiner or disability judge is satisfied that all of your medically documented limitations are included in your RFC, they will compare your current restrictions with the demands of your past work to see whether you could still do that work today. For example, if you worked as a cab driver before you applied for benefits and your RFC says that you shouldn't operate a motor vehicle, you won't be expected to do that job anymore. But if your past job was in an office environment (with bright lighting) and your RFC only restricts you from working in dim lighting, the agency will likely find that you can still do office jobs and deny your application.

If you can't return to your past work, Social Security will consider whether you could do any other kinds of jobs, given your age, education, work experience, and RFC. Generally, you'll need to have evidence of several moderate or marked functional limitations in order for the agency to find that you can't work at all. While having an RFC restriction against driving at night can rule out jobs like long-haul trucker, you'll need to have pretty extensive visual limitations—typically in combination with other medical conditions—to eliminate even simple desk jobs.

So if you're under 50 and keratoconus is your only medical impairment, the SSA is likely to decide that you can do some type of work that doesn't require you to drive. But if you're over 50 and have additional medical problems, the agency might not expect you to make the switch to other work, and can award you disability benefits under a special set of circumstances called the "grid rules".

Medical Evidence Needed to Get Disability for Keratoconus

Your medical records are the foundation of your disability claim. The SSA will need to see evidence of keratoconus and how symptoms of the condition cause functional limitations. This evidence should include test results, imaging, visual examinations, and your doctor's clinical treatment notes.

In order to increase your chances of getting approval for disability benefits as a result of vision loss caused by keratoconus, your records should include the following:

• a diagnosis of keratoconus by an ophthalmologist (a doctor who specializes in eye and vision problems)
• imaging results, such as topography, that measures the curve of the cornea
• perimetry (visual field) testing to check your peripheral vision
• doctor's notes reflecting the frequency and severity of your symptoms, and
• a history of any treatments you've tried and whether they helped or caused side effects.

Social Security might also send you for an independent consultative examination (on the agency's dime) if there isn't enough information in your medical records to make a decision. You can also ask your doctor to write a medical source statement for the SSA to review. Social Security values the opinions of medical providers who've seen you regularly for treatment of your keratoconus, and a helpful letter can persuade the SSA that your visual limitations are substantial enough to qualify for disability benefits.

Getting a VA Disability Rating for Keratoconus

Veterans who have service-connected keratoconus may qualify for disability compensation from the VA. Unlike Social Security where you're either disabled or you aren't, the VA uses a percentage ratings system to help determine how much you'll receive in disability benefits.

According to the VA Schedule of Rating Disabilities, keratoconus is evaluated using the General Rating Formula for Diseases of the Eye, under diagnostic code 6035. Depending on how severe your keratoconus is and how frequently you've received treatment for the condition, you may be entitled to a disability rating of 10%, 20%, 40%, or 60%.

Disability Benefit Amounts for Keratoconus

If you're a veteran awarded service-connected disability compensation for keratoconus, the monthly amount you'll receive will depend on your percentage rating and your living situation. For example, in 2025, a veteran with a 10% disability rating will receive $175.51 every month from the VA (even with dependents such as a spouse or child), while a veteran who is married with one child and has a 60% rating will receive $1,617.93 monthly. You can calculate your estimated monthly benefit using the current VA disability compensation rates tables.

Social Security doesn't pay benefits according to a disability rating or based on what medical condition you have. Instead, your monthly benefit will depend on whether you qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSDI is calculated based on the work credits you've earned, while SSI is available to people with limited income and assets.

For 2025, the maximum monthly amount you can receive in SSDI is $4,018, although the average amount is much less, at $1,580. SSI benefits are $967 per month minus any earned income you have for that month.

Applying for SSDI, SSI, and VA Benefits

An easy way to file for SSDI or SSI is by using Social Security's online web portal. You can also file a claim over the phone by calling the national disability hotline at 800-772-1213 (TTY 800-325-0078) between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m., Monday through Friday. If you'd prefer to apply in person, you can make an appointment at your nearest Social Security field office. For more information, see our article on filing an application for Social Security benefits.

Veterans can apply for benefits by submitting VA Form 21-526, Application for Disability Compensation and Related Compensation Benefits. The VA encourages veterans to submit this form electronically, but you can also print it out and bring it with you to your regional VA field office. Learn more about how to apply in our article on filing for veterans' disability benefits.

You aren't required to hire an attorney to begin your application for SSDI, SSI, or VA disability benefits, but it can be a smart choice, especially if you've already been denied once and need to appeal. An experienced lawyer can help you navigate the often convoluted bureaucracies involved in making disability determinations, gather needed medical evidence, and represent you in front of a disability judge or VA tribunal (if necessary).