Quick Answer
Yes, vision loss qualifies for the Disability Tax Credit Canada in 2026 when, even with corrective lenses, visual acuity is 20/200 or worse in the better eye, or your visual field is 20 degrees or less. Certification can come from a medical doctor or optometrist. Legal blindness typically qualifies.
CRA's Vision Thresholds
Unlike some DTC categories that rely on functional description, vision has specific objective measurements. To qualify under the vision category, one of the following must be met:
- Visual acuity: best corrected visual acuity in the better eye is 20/200 (6/60) or worse
- Field of vision: visual field in the better eye is 20 degrees or less (even if acuity is better than 20/200)
These measurements are taken with the best possible corrective lenses in place (glasses, contacts, or other corrective devices).
What 20/200 Vision Means
A person with 20/200 corrected vision sees at 20 feet what a person with typical vision sees at 200 feet. This is the legal blindness threshold in most Canadian provinces.
It represents a very significant impairment in the ability to read, recognize faces, navigate safely, or perform most fine visual tasks.
Field of Vision Loss
A person can have relatively good central acuity but still qualify if peripheral vision is severely restricted. A 20-degree field is often called "tunnel vision."
It means the person can only see in a very narrow cone directly in front of them. This prevents safe navigation, driving, and many daily activities.
Conditions that commonly cause field loss qualifying for DTC include:
- Advanced glaucoma
- Retinitis pigmentosa
- Severe diabetic retinopathy
- Stroke affecting visual cortex or optic pathways
- Severe macular degeneration (central field loss)
Conditions That Commonly Qualify
- Legal blindness (corrected acuity 20/200 or worse in better eye)
- Advanced glaucoma with severe visual field restriction
- Retinitis pigmentosa (progressive field constriction)
- Severe diabetic retinopathy with macular involvement
- Age-related macular degeneration causing acuity below threshold
- Congenital cataracts or corneal conditions not fully correctable by surgery or lenses
- Optic nerve atrophy
Key Documentation for Vision DTC
- Formal Snellen visual acuity testing (best corrected, both eyes)
- Formal visual field testing (Humphrey or Goldmann perimetry)
- Ophthalmologist or optometrist report completing Part B of the T2201
- Records of underlying eye condition and treatment history
- Low vision specialist assessment if available
The vision category is among the easiest to certify because it is based on objective measurements. Your eye doctor can certify this section of the T2201 with the results from standard testing they already perform.
2026 DTC Amounts for Vision Loss
If approved: federal credit $1,448 per year. Combined with provincial credits, the annual amount ranges from $2,047 to $3,708 per year.
For children with qualifying vision loss, the federal child supplement adds approximately $845 per year plus potential Child Disability Benefit. Retroactive claims may go up to 10 years back when CRA approves the prior years.
Real vision loss Filing Scenario
The following example is illustrative. It describes a typical filing flow and does not predict any individual outcome.
A Winnipeg resident with advanced retinitis pigmentosa was certified by her ophthalmologist for the vision category. Part B documented visual acuity of 20/200 in the better eye with best correction. It also documented a visual field restricted to less than 20 degrees, so both CRA vision criteria thresholds were met.
The ophthalmologist included recent visual field test results as supporting documentation. The Notice of Determination arrived 8 weeks after submission, approving the DTC retroactive to 2020.
Documentation That Works for vision loss Part B
What worked in this Part B: explicit threshold-meeting measurements, including 20/200 acuity and less than 20-degree visual field, with objective testing attached.
Vision claims are among the most clearly criteria-based. They benefit most from including the actual test results rather than just summary statements. See our cumulative effects rule guide for the technical framework CRA reviewers apply, and our DTC denied appeal guide if a previous application was rejected.
How to Present Vision Evidence Clearly
Vision loss claims are easier to review when the eye-care provider states the best-corrected visual acuity and visual field results directly in Part B. CRA assesses vision after appropriate correction, so the file should specify whether the 20/200 acuity threshold, the 20-degree visual field threshold, or both are met in the better eye. If the impairment is progressive, include older test dates to support the start year.
Daily-function examples can help when the measurements are close to the threshold or when the person also has other restrictions. Useful examples include inability to read standard print, difficulty identifying medication labels, navigation problems, falls, loss of independent transportation, or reliance on low-vision aids. These examples should be tied back to the objective measurements rather than presented as a substitute for them.
If the person also has diabetes, mobility limitations, or cognitive effects from a neurological condition, link the evidence to the related condition page and consider whether a cumulative-effect argument is stronger than a vision-only application.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. CRA assesses vision with the best possible corrective lenses. If glasses correct your vision to 20/40, you do not meet the 20/200 threshold even if uncorrected vision is much worse. The DTC vision category applies to conditions where even optimal correction leaves vision at 20/200 or below.
Not necessarily. CRA assesses the better eye with correction. If your other eye has normal or near-normal vision, single-eye blindness typically does not meet the DTC vision threshold. The thresholds apply to the better-seeing eye.
However, if the remaining eye also has significant impairment, or if you have additional conditions that combine to cause marked restriction, a cumulative claim may be possible.
An ophthalmologist (medical eye doctor) or optometrist (OD) can certify the vision category on the T2201. Your regular eye doctor is typically the best person to complete this, as they already have your visual acuity and field test results in their records.
The certification requires attaching or referencing the objective test measurements.
Yes. If your vision loss met the thresholds in prior years, you can apply retroactively for up to 10 years. Your ophthalmologist or optometrist can certify the start date of your qualifying impairment based on historical records and test results. This is particularly common for conditions like glaucoma or macular degeneration that progress over many years.
Official Sources and Related Guides
This condition guide is based on CRA's Disability Tax Credit criteria and official Form T2201 instructions. Use it with our DTC eligibility guide, T2201 form guide, and DTC calculator. For questions about your own facts, contact Disability Tax Credits Canada or speak with a qualified Canadian tax professional.