Polio Survivors having Hearing and Visual Issues
Question: Are polio survivors susceptible to a troubling hearing disorder that causes an especially tough time hearing others on our cell phones? Or how about it being harder to hear when there are outside noises or even noises that are inside a paratransit bus?
A polio doctor told me that we could have nerve damage in or around the inner ear that only becomes a problem that affects us later.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: There is no evidence that the poliovirus damaged any brain area or nerves that affect hearing. (It is the same for visual acuity or touch.)
General Rule: If anything sensory is wrong it's not polio-related.
Additional Question: What is visual acuity? I have blurred vision (left eye only of course) that my doctor’s think is due to the Herpes Zoster (Shingles) damaging nerves that were already compromised from the polio.
Dr. Bruno’s Response: Visual acuity is focusing your eyes. The muscles that focus were not affected by the poliovirus. None of the hearing taste or other sensory nerves were damaged by polio, but that doesn't mean that another virus couldn't do damage, as in your case, the Herpes virus.