Definition
"Deaf-blind" is an umbrella term used to describe people who have some form of combined vision loss and hearing loss. Deaf-blindness includes a hearing impairment that ranges from mild to complete deafness and with a vision impairment that ranges from mild to total blindness.
Types
Deaf-blind individuals do not all acquire their combined vision and hearing impairment in the same way. An individual may be:
- Born both deaf and blind
- Born blind (or acquire blindness first) and later become deaf
- Born deaf (or acquire deafness first) and later become blind
- Acquire both deafness and blindness later in life
Causes
Deafness and blindness can be caused by any of the following:
- Medical factors
- Age-related factors
- The effects of a traumatic accident
- Genetics
- Usher Syndrome (I, II, or III)
- Age-Related-Conditions
- Meningitis
- CHARGE
