Elegibility

BVA Membership Eligibility & Information

The Blinded Veterans Association (BVA) welcomes any honorably discharged or active-duty U.S. service member who qualifies for the VA Blind Rehabilitation Service (BRS) under Directive 1174.

Eligibility Criteria

You qualify if you experience significant visual impairment (including Legal Blindness or Low Vision) that interferes with daily living due to conditions such as macular degeneration, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, ocular/brain injury, or stroke. Verification can be provided by an Optometrist, Ophthalmologist, VIST Coordinator, or BROS.

  • Legal Blindness (LB): Best-corrected central visual acuity of 20/200 or less, or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
  • Low Vision (LV): Significant, uncorrectable vision loss that impacts safety or daily independence.

Note: The National Board of Directors adjudicates borderline cases, status changes, and honorary memberships. While honorary members may attend meetings and submit recommendations, they do not have voting rights.

Why Join BVA?

While all LB/LV veterans and their families can access free benefits assistance and publications regardless of membership, joining BVA connects you to a nationwide community of peers. Members gain access to fellowship, volunteer opportunities, and community groups, while providing critical support for the organization’s advocacy efforts.

Why Join BVA?

Contact Us For questions or to get started, please reach out:

Apply for BVA Membership

* Notice: This form is intended only for new membership applications. If you are already a BVA member and need to update your member record, please visit this form.
Step 1 of 3
Name
Gender
Birthdate
Phone Type
*Note: Do not add country code to phone number.
Email
Address
Are you legally blind or low vision?
Are you a guide dog handler?