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The Disabled Workforce
Employment Statistics for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired: U.S.
What are these statistics?
This set of statistics starts with the broadest grouping as background, that is, the entire U.S. population. It then narrows down, step by step, to focus on the employment status of relevant groupings of people who are blind (legally blind); those who are visually impaired (other people with serious difficulty seeing that cannot be corrected with ordinary glasses); and, for comparison, the general public with no serious visual or other impairment. Also shown are statistics for broad age groups within the vision groupings.
Where are these statistics from?
Most of the data come from a 1994-95 national survey conducted by the federal government's National Center for Health Statistics. That study provides details about employment status of legally blind and other visually impaired adults that are not available from other national studies. The specific definitions and methods of the study are explained in a report by AFB research staff (Kirchner et al., 1999).
How are the statistics organized here?
Each numbered set, from 1 to 10, deals with a different grouping. For example, one set refers to blind and visually impaired people grouped together, whereas another set refers only to people who are legally blind and the next set refers only to people who are visually impaired, excluding those who are legally blind.
Within each set—starting with #4—the lettered items differ by referring, A, to the number and percentage of people who are employed, and B, to the number and percentage who are not employed.
1. Total Population of the United States
About 262 million (1994-95).
2. A. Estimated number of blind & visually impaired people of all ages, including institutionalized and homeless people
7 to 10 million (1994-5).
2. B. Estimated number of blind & visually impaired people who live in households (i.e., excluding institutionalized and homeless) of all ages
6 to 8 million (1994-5).
Note: Only people who live in households, including those who live alone, are covered by surveys used for statistics on employment. The range of estimates exists because various national studies use different definitions and methods.
3. Estimated number and percentage of household-based blind & visually impaired people who are of working age, defined as 18 through 69 years old
About 2 to 3 million (1994-95) or 35-40% of all blind & visually impaired household-based people.
4. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of working age (18 to 69 years old) blind & visually impaired people who are employed
1 to 1.3 million people or 40-45% (1994-95).
4. B. Not Employed: estimated number and percentage of working age (18 to 69 years old) blind & visually impaired people who are not employed
1 to 1.7 million people or 55-60% (1994-95).
5. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of legally blind people of working age (18 to 69 years old) who are employed
About 160,000 people or 30% (1994-95).
5. B. Not employed: estimated number and percentage of legally blind people of working age (18 to 69 years old) who are not employed
About 375,000 people or 70% (1994-95).
6. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of visually impaired (excluding legally blind) people of working age (18 to 69 years old) who are employed
About 1.1 million people or 45% (1994-95).
6. B. Not employed: estimated number and percentage of visually impaired (excluding legally blind) people of working age (18 - 69 years old) who are not employed
About 1.4 million people or 55% (1994-95).
7. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of blind & visually impaired people of working age, by age category, who are employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 868,000 people or 54% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 217,000 people or 22% (1994-95)
7. B. Not employed: estimated number and percentage of blind & visually impaired people of working age, by age category, who are not employed:
· Ages 18 through 54 years—About 740,000 people or 46% (1994-95)
· Ages 55 through 69 years—About 769,000 people or 78% (1994-95)
8. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of legally blind people of working age, by age category, who are employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 145,000 people or 42% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 17,000 people or 9% (1994-95)
8. B. Not employed: estimated number and percentage of legally blind people of working age, by age category, who are not employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 200,000 people or 58% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 171,000 people or 91% (1994-95)
9. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of visually impaired people (excluding legally blind) of working age, by age category, who are employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 733,000 people or 59% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 149,000 people or 20% (1994-95)
9. B. Not employed: estimated number and percentage of visually impaired people (excluding legally blind) of working age, by age category, who are not employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 509,000 people or 41% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 598,000 people or 80% (1994-95)
10. A. Employed: estimated number and percentage of the general population with no serious impairments, of working age, who are employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 97,649,000 people or 82% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 1,453,000 people or 54% (1994-95)
10. B. Not employed: estimated number and percentage of the general population with no serious impairments, of working age, who are not employed:
- Ages 18 through 54 years—About 21,435,000 people or 18% (1994-95)
- Ages 55 through 69 years—About 9,756,000 people or 46% (1994-95)
Definitions
Legal Blindness is a clinical measure that, in the U.S., means a person's visual acuity is 20/200 or less in the better eye, when using the best correction that can be provided by ordinary eyeglasses, or he/she has a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
For the data used here, survey respondents reported if they were legally blind, after having responded "Yes" when asked whether they have "serious difficulty seeing, even with glasses." Others with "serious visual impairment" were respondents who answered "yes" to the question about serious difficulty seeing, and "no" to legal blindness.
"Employment" is based on responses to a survey question asking whether the person had worked at a job or business in the two weeks prior to the interview, or—for those who said "no"—whether they had a job but were on vacation, sick or on layoff. "Not employed" includes people who were actively looking for work as well as those who, for various reasons, were not actively looking for work, although they may have been interested in working.
Reference
Kirchner, C., Schmeidler E., Todorov, A., (1999) Looking at Employment Through a Lifespan Telescope: Age, Health and Employment Status of People with Serious Visual Impairment, Mississippi State, MS: Rehabilitation Research and Training Center on Blindness and Low Vision.
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