legally blind

Someone recently said I was legally blind, because me eye sight is so bad, even with contacts or glasses. If my contact prescription is -9.00 in both eyes does that mean I am legally blind? To my knowledge, my eye doctors have never referred to me as "legally blind." You might not be able to answer this question with this limited information, but I do have my driver's license, and my eye sight does not effect my driving, work, or school; it is just still hard to see far away.

If you could give me a general idea about being "legally blind" that would be helpful.

Thanks

[John C Hagan III, MD, FACS, FAAO]

It isn't very informative to say you're legally blind without glasses and that is rarely the case. For instance I have good vision and healthy eyes but I'm nearsighted without glasses my distance vision is 20/400  but my near vision is 20/20. With glasses its 20/15 at distance.

Legal blindness is based on best corrected vision either glasses or contact lens.  Legal blindness varies from state to state but generally it's 20/200 or worse with best correction in best eye or visual field less than 10 degrees in widest diameter in eye with best field.

JCH III MD