Any person claiming benefits under this Article shall file with the commissioners of the county in which he or she is residing an application in writing, in duplicate, upon forms prescribed by the Department of Health and Human Services. This application shall be accompanied by a certificate signed by a reputable physician licensed to practice medicine in the State who is actively engaged in the treatment of diseases of the human eye or by an optometrist, whichever the individual may select, stating that the applicant is blind. This application may be made on the behalf of any blind person by the Department of Health and Human Services or by any other person. The board of county commissioners shall cause an investigation to be made by a qualified person designated as its agent for this purpose and shall pass upon the application without delay, determine the eligibility of the applicant, and allow or disallow the relief sought. In passing upon the application, the board of county commissioners may take into consideration the facts set forth in the application and any other facts that are deemed necessary, and may at any time require an additional examination of the applicant’s eyes by an ophthalmologist designated by the Department of Health and Human Services. When satisfied with the merits of the application, the board of county commissioners shall allow the application and grant to the applicant any proper relief according to the rules established by the Commission for the Blind. (1937, c. 124, s. 3; 1939, c. 124; 1951, c. 319, s. 1; 1957, c. 674; 1973, c. 476, s. 143; 1997-443, s. 11A.118(a); 2000-121, s. 12.)