Back to Who Qualifies
DTC for Vision & Hearing Conditions
Vision Loss, Blindness, Hearing Loss, Deafness
Significant vision or hearing loss that affects your daily functioning can qualify for the Disability Tax Credit. CRA has specific criteria for these sensory impairments.
What CRA Looks For
- Vision: Visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correction, or visual field of 20 degrees or less
- Hearing: Profound hearing loss (hearing level of 70 decibels or more in the better ear)
- Significant impact on daily functioning despite corrective devices
- Condition must be prolonged (lasting at least 12 months)
- For partial loss: marked restriction in performing daily activities related to seeing or hearing
Examples of Qualifying Situations
Legal blindness or severe vision impairment
Macular degeneration significantly affecting daily vision
Glaucoma causing substantial visual field loss
Profound hearing loss or deafness from birth or acquired
Progressive hearing loss requiring significant accommodation
Combined vision and hearing impairments
Why Applications Get Denied
- Visual acuity or field measurements not clearly documented
- Hearing test results not properly included or interpreted
- Application does not describe functional impact on daily activities
- Corrective device effectiveness overstated in the application
- Insufficient specialist documentation
How We Help
- We coordinate with ophthalmologists and audiologists for accurate documentation
- We work to ensure test results are properly presented in CRA-required format
- We document the functional impact on daily living beyond just test measurements
- We review eligibility for retroactive claims from the onset of significant impairment
- We handle applications for both vision and hearing impairments when applicable