Impairments / Vision
Impairment · 2005 PDRS Section 2

Vision & the visual system: PD rating

Visual acuity and visual-field loss. These arrive directly as a whole-person impairment (WPI) percentage.

WPI → PD rating
Example — a 10% WPI vision-loss impairment: 10 × 1.4 = 14 standard rating (DOI ≥ 2013), before the occupational and age adjustments.
The occupational and age steps and the final dollar figure depend on the specific job and birth date — the calculator computes them exactly.

How vision ratings work: the evaluator measures visual acuity (12.01.00.00) and visual-field loss (12.02.00.00) and combines them into a visual-system impairment (12.03.00.00) expressed as whole-person impairment. From there the standard pipeline runs — the 1.4 adjustment, occupational variant (vision-critical trades move most), and the age modifier.

Impairments in this system · 3

Visual AcuityVisual FieldVisual System

Vision rating FAQ

How is a vision & the visual system injury rated for permanent disability in California?
These arrive directly as a whole-person impairment (WPI) percentage. The WPI is multiplied by 1.4 to get the standard rating (dates of injury on or after 2013 under SB 863), then adjusted for the worker’s occupation and age, apportioned under Lab. Code §4663, and combined with any other impairments. Example — a 10% WPI vision-loss impairment: 10 × 1.4 = 14 standard rating (DOI ≥ 2013), before the occupational and age adjustments.
What body parts are in the Vision & the visual system section of the PDRS?
The 2005 PDRS lists 3 impairments here. Visual acuity and visual-field loss.
Does the occupation change a vision & the visual system rating?
Yes — after the ×1.4 step, the occupational group applies a variant that raises or lowers the standard rating. See the occupation pages for how each group treats this region.
Is this a legal PD rating?
No — it’s an estimate for informational use. Confirm every rating against the DEU. RateString rates strict AMA Guides 5th-edition values under the 2005 PDRS.
Related: how occupation adjusts a rating · weekly rate caps by year · eye-injury value
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