What is Usher Syndrome Type 1F?
Usher syndrome type 1F is an inherited disease that causes profound hearing loss from birth and impairs vision beginning in adolescence. Infants with Usher syndrome type 1F are profoundly deaf in both ears at birth. This hearing loss does not typically respond to hearing aids, though it may benefit from cochlear implants. Without early interventions, the child may not develop speech abilities. In adolescence, people with Usher syndrome type 1F develop retinitis pigmentosa, an eye disease which causes night blindness and a gradual loss of peripheral vision. Eventually only the central vision remains, creating “tunnel vision.” This central vision too can be impaired and can lead to blindness in a small number of people with the disease. In some cases, people with Usher syndrome type 1F develop cataracts, which can further impair vision. People with Usher syndrome type 1F also have severe balance problems and have trouble sensing changes in speed or direction. They learn to sit and walk i
