Combined vision and hearing loss is one of the most common age-related conditions affecting senior citizens (age 55 and over). Seniors with a combined vision and hearing loss comprise the greatest number of people who are DeafBlind in the U.S. Hearing and vision loss later in life has a severe impact on a person's social, physical and mental health and can profoundly impact their daily functioning and independence.
One of the challenges of diagnosing and treating age-related dual sensory loss is that oftentimes seniors do not self-identify as having a vision or hearing loss and try to compensate for their loss in other ways.
Vision conditions most commonly associated with aging include age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, and diabetic retinopathy.
There are no specific hearing conditions that are associated with aging. Most age-related hearing loss is due to the degeneration of hair cells in the inner ear. These hair cells that carry auditory impulses to the cochlea and off to the brain, die off over the course of one’s life and do not grow back. Other factors that can impact hearing over a lifetime are exposure to noises, hereditary factors, and some medications. Diabetes and smoking have been linked to an increased risk of hearing loss.