Eligibility
To be eligible to receive services from Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), a person must be:
- determined and reported to be legally blind by an eye care provider pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 136.
- a resident of Massachusetts.
Definition of legal blindness:
- Vision with correction of 20/200 or less in the better eye; or
- Peripheral field of ten degrees (10°) or less, regardless of visual acuity
Registration Process
All eye care providers must report within 30 days all cases of legal blindness to MCB pursuant to Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 6, § 136.
Eye care providers must file a Mandatory Report of Legal Blindness with MCB for each patient they declare legally blind. Only an eye care provider can file a Mandatory Report of Legal Blindness. MCB will review the report and certify the determination of legal blindness.
MCB’s Blindness Registry will mail a letter of determination to the patient and the eye care provider.
If MCB certifies the determination of legal blindness, the patient will become registered with MCB and assigned a counselor.
The MCB counselor will contact the newly registered consumer for a complete explanation of benefits, programs, and services.
A person must be registered with MCB to receive services from the agency. All referrals for services should be made to the counselor assigned to the consumer.
A person registered with MCB is not eligible for a driver's license from the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles as their vision does not meet the requirements.
For questions about the registration process or a person's registration status, contact the MCB Blindness Registry:
- Phone: 617-626-7415 (Monday through Friday from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.)
- Email: BlindnessRegistry@mass.gov
Massachusetts residents who have a visual impairment but are not legally blind may contact the Massachusetts Assocation for the Blind and Visually Impaired at 888-613-2777 or mabvi@mabcommunity.org to inquire about services.