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Both hearing aids and eyeglasses have the important job of treating a sensory loss. However, there are many ways in which they differ. We review some of these ways below.
Eyeglasses are More Common
According to a report by The Vision Council, “There are 166.5 million US adults (63.7%) wearing Rx eyeglasses as of 2021.” Meanwhile, the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports, “About 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.” But despite this, only about one in five people who could benefit from a hearing aid actually wears them, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America.
There once was a stigma around wearing eyeglasses, but they’ve recently become more of a fashion statement, which means more people wear them with confidence. We at Topeka Ear Nose & Throat believe the same is happening with hearing aids – they’re becoming more of a wearable tech than a sign of age or impairment.
There Is No “20/20 Hearing”
When someone puts on a pair of prescription eyeglasses, in most cases they can see in 20/20 vision once again. However, the same effect is not achieved by putting in a set of hearing aids. You will certainly be able to hear better, but not the way you did when you were younger. Hearing aids simply aren’t designed to restore perfect hearing; rather, they amplify sounds to a level you can hear with ease.
You’ll Need to Adjust to Hearing Aids
If you’ve waited a long time to treat your hearing loss, as most people do, your brain will essentially have to re-learn how to hear certain sounds you’ve been missing. For example, you probably haven’t heard the sound of your refrigerator humming for years. It will take time to learn to filter out this sound again.
Hearing Aids Have Different Settings
Unlike eyeglasses, which help you see well in all environments, hearing aids have different settings suitable for different situations. For example, the setting or program you use when watching TV at home will probably be different than the one you use when dining out at Bradley’s Corner Cafe in NOTO Arts Center.
For more information about what hearing aids can do for you, call Topeka Ear Nose & Throat today.