• Physical disability refers to a condition that affects a person's physical abilities, such as mobility,

strength, and coordination.

• There are two main categories of physical disability: hereditary/congenital (present at birth or due
to inherited genetic issues) and acquired (resulting from an accident, infection, or medical
condition).
• Examples of physical disabilities include cerebral palsy, arthritis, muscular dystrophy, multiple
sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and repetitive strain injury.
• Physical disabilities can affect mobility, coordination, balance, and manipulation of equipment,
and may also impact speech, vision, and energy levels.
• Some physical disabilities are temporary or have periods of remission, while others are
permanent.
• Accommodations for students with physical disabilities should be tailored to their individual needs
and may include the use of assistive devices such as wheelchairs or walking aids.
• Visual impairment refers to any kind of vision loss, including complete blindness or partial vision
loss.
• Visual impairment can be caused by diseases or injuries that affect the eye or brain.
• Some visual impairments can be treated with eyeglasses or contact lenses, but others cannot
be fully restored with medical treatment or corrective lenses.
• People with legal blindness have vision that is significantly weaker than someone with perfect
vision. They can see an object from 20 feet away as well as someone with perfect vision can
from 200 feet away.
• Visual impairment is rare in teenagers and is usually caused by injuries such as sports accidents
or car accidents.
• Amblyopia is a condition where a child's eye doesn't see as well as the other eye. It is also called
a "lazy eye." It can happen when the eyes are misaligned or crossed. The brain might ignore the
messages from one of the misaligned eyes and the vision in that eye doesn't develop normally.
• Cataracts are cloudy spots in the lens of the eye. The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps
light pass through and focus on the retina. When cataracts are present, the light cannot pass
through easily and it causes vision problems. Symptoms of cataracts include double vision, blurry
vision, trouble seeing in the dark, and colors that look faded.
• Diabetic retinopathy is a condition where the blood vessels in the back of the eye become
damaged because of diabetes. People with this condition might not have any problems seeing
at first, but if it gets worse, they can become blind. Teens with diabetes should get regular eye
exams to check for this condition. To prevent diabetic retinopathy, people with diabetes should
 not smoke, keep their blood pressure and blood sugar under control, and take good care of their
health.
• Glaucoma is a condition where the pressure inside the eye gets too high. This pressure can
damage the nerves in the eye and cause vision loss. Sometimes, glaucoma can be caused by
other health problems, but sometimes it happens for no known reason. It is more common in
older people, but it can also happen to babies and children. People with glaucoma may not notice
any problems with their vision at first, but as the condition gets worse, they may start to lose their
sight. If it is not treated, people with glaucoma can become blind.
• Macular degeneration is a condition where the macula, a sensitive part of the retina, gets worse
over time. The retina is the part of the eye that helps us see. Macular degeneration can make it
hard to see fine details and can cause vision loss. It is more common in older people, but it can
also happen to younger people. Too much sunlight and smoking can increase the risk for this
condition. Symptoms of macular degeneration may include trouble reading or watching TV, and
distorted vision where lines look wavy or objects look bigger or smaller than they should.
• Trachoma is an infection in the eye caused by a germ called Chlamydia trachomatis. It is very
contagious and is more common in poor rural areas where people live close together and don't
have clean water and good sanitation. Trachoma can cause inflammation in the eye.
• Near-sightedness (also called short-sightedness or myopia) is a condition where light focuses
in front of the retina, causing distant objects to appear blurry.
• Far-sightedness (also called long-sightedness, hypermetropia, or hyperopia) is a condition
where close objects appear blurry but distant objects are clear.
• Presbyopia is a condition that affects people as they get older and makes it harder to see close
objects clearly.
• Astigmatism is a condition where the eye's refractive power is not symmetrical, causing
distorted or blurry vision. It can cause eyestrain, headaches, and trouble driving at night.
• Near-sightedness, far-sightedness, presbyopia, and astigmatism are all types of refractive
errors. They can be treated with eyeglasses, contact lenses, or surgery.
• An ophthalmologist is a doctor who specializes in examining, diagnosing, and treating eyes and
eye diseases.
• When someone goes to see an ophthalmologist, the doctor will look at the structure of the eye.
• The ophthalmologist may also do some simple tests like a visual acuity test (reading an eye
chart to measure distance vision), a visual field test (measuring side vision), and a tonometry
test (checking fluid pressure in the eye for glaucoma).