Combined sight and hearing loss

Are you having problems with your sight and hearing?

People who have a Combined Sight and Hearing Loss are often known as people with a ‘Dual Sensory Loss’. Hampshire County Council has specialist workers who can help you find training, equipment and assistance to cope with safety in the home and everyday tasks to do with your hearing and sight loss.

Sight: If you have not done so, we strongly recommend that go to your GP as soon as possible and be referred to a hospital Consultant Ophthalmologist. A diagnosis can then be made and possibly treatment.

Hearing: If you are having problems with your hearing, and you have not already done so, you should also visit your doctor as soon as possible and if necessary, a referral will be made to Ear Nose and Throat or Audiology specialists

Registration

Registering as deaf or hard of hearing may entitle you to some concessions and benefits, for example, reduced travel costs on buses and trains. Adult Services can carry out the registration once a permanent hearing loss has been established  by a specialist.

If your sight loss is likely to be permanent, it will make it easier to get help, advice and some concessions if you register as blind/severely sight impaired or partially sighted/sight impaired. Nine out of ten people registered as severely sight impaired still have some sight, so don't think you have to have no sight at all to be able to register. The only person who can decide whether you qualify for registration is a Consultant Ophthalmologist. Once the Consultant Ophthalmologist has decided that you are registerable, they send a certificate to Adult Services and we complete that registration.

How Adult Services can help

Adult Services Sensory Teams will identify the help that you need and provide training, support and advice about solutions to everyday problems. We can also assess the need for equipment and where this can be purchased, and if the Eligibility Criteria is met, we can also supply some items of equipment.

Other sources of help

• Disability advice and support groups from the e.Volve community directory
• Employment and training opportunities for adults who have physical, learning or sensory disabilities