If an infant is born unable to see or with severe visual impairment, he is said to have congenital blindness. The term visually impaired is used to describe vision loss, which can include the complete absence of vision. It doesn't always mean an individual cannot see at all, however. The term is also used to describe individuals who are legally blind, which means they have a significant loss of vision but can see some images.

There are many things that may cause a person to be born with congenital blindness. One of them is a physical defect in the eyes or an abnormality in the brain. Some people are born blind because of infections their mothers developed while they were pregnant. For example, the German measles, a viral illness, can affect developing babies and cause congenital blindness. Others may be born blind because of an inherited condition or due to an injury that happens during childbirth.

When children have congenital blindness, their learning and development needs are a bit different. Barring any other conditions, they can learn and develop in much the same way as other children can, but they may need the help of special teachers or materials to help them do so without normal sight. There are many learning and developmental programs that emphasize using touch, hearing, and even taste and smell to learn.

Eventually, the sense of touch plays a very important role in learning. Blind children and adults can use braille to read books, even though they cannot see them. This involves feeling small bumps or dots that represent letters and words, reading with the hands instead of the eyes.

A blind person’s hearing can also play a critical role in his ability to learn and read. There are devices designed to read information on a written page, allowing blind people to listen to books and written materials rather than using braille. In fact, some of these devices make it possible for blind children to attend regular school if they wish.

The idea of being born without sight or with significantly impaired vision can seem frightening to sighted individuals. It may be difficult to imagine how a blind individual can perform daily tasks most people take for granted, such as going for a walk or running errands. One of the resources a blind person may have is a guide dog. These dogs are specially trained to help visually impaired people move about and even cross streets safely.