Movies and TV shows tend to use close-ups (sometimes extreme close-ups) when the action begins getting really intense. This is because more information than you’re probably even consciously aware of is communicated by the human face. It’s no stretch to say that human beings are extremely facially centered.
So having all of your primary human sensors, nose, eyes, ears, and mouth, on the face is not surprising. The face is jammed with aesthetically pleasing attributes.
But when your face needs more than one assistive device, it can become a challenge. For instance, wearing glasses and hearing aids can become a little… cumbersome. In some circumstances, you might even have challenges. These tips on how to wear hearing aids and glasses simultaneously can help you manage those challenges, and get you ready for your (metaphorical) closeup!
Are glasses impeded by hearing aids?
As both your ears and your eyes will often require a bit of assistance, it’s common for people to be worried that their eyeglasses and hearing aids might impair each other. That’s because there are physical limitations on both the shape of eyeglasses and the placement of hearing aids. Using them simultaneously can be uncomfortable for some people.
There are a couple of key concerns:
- Skin irritation: Skin irritation can also be the result of all those things hanging off your face. Mostly this occurs because neither your hearing aid nor glasses are fitting correctly.
- Poor audio quality: It isn’t unheard of for your glasses to knock your hearing aids out of position, resulting in less than ideal audio quality.
- Pressure: Both eyeglasses and hearing aids need to attach to your face somehow; usually, they use the ear as an effective anchor. But when your ears have to hold on to both eyeglasses and hearing aids, a sense of pressure and sometimes even pain can result. Your temples can also feel pressure and pain.
So, can you wear glasses with hearing aids? Definitely! It might seem like they’re mutually exclusive, but behind-the-ear hearing aids can effectively be worn with glasses!
Using glasses and hearing aids together
Every style of hearing aid will be compatible with your glasses, it’s just a matter of how much work it will take. For the intention of this article, we’ll be talking about behind-the-ear style hearing aids. This is because inside-the-canal hearing aids are much smaller and fit totally in your ear. In-ear-canal hearing aids almost never have a negative relationship with glasses.
Behind-the-ear hearing aids, though, sit behind your ear. The electronics that go behind your ears connect to a wire that goes to a speaker that’s positioned inside the ear canal. You should talk to us about what type of hearing aid will be best for your requirements (they each have their own benefits and disadvantages).
If you use your glasses every day all day, you may want to choose an inside-the-canal type of hearing aid; but this style of device won’t be the best choice for everyone. To be able to hear sufficiently, some individuals need a BTE style device; but don’t worry, there’s a way to make just about any hearing aid work with your glasses.
Adjust your glasses
The degree of comfort you get from your hearing aid will greatly depend on the style and type of glasses you have. If you wear large BTE devices, invest in glasses that have slimmer frames. Work with your optician to pick out a glasses style that will accommodate your hearing aids.
Your glasses will also have to fit properly. They shouldn’t be too slack or too snug. If your glasses are jiggling around everywhere, you could jeopardize your hearing aid results.
Using accessories is okay
So how can hearing aids and glasses aids be worn together? There are a lot of other individuals who are coping with difficulties handling hearing aids with glasses, so you’re not by yourself. This is good news because it means that you can use it to make things just a little bit easier. Here are a few of those devices:
- Specially designed devices: There are a wide variety of devices on the market created specifically to make it easier to wear your hearing aids and glasses at the same time. Devices include pieces of cloth that hold your hearing aids in position and glasses with built-in hearing aids.
- Retention bands: These bands fit around the back of your glasses, and they help keep your glasses in place. These are a great idea if you’re a more active person.
- Anti-slip hooks: These hooks also help to prevent your glasses from moving all over the place (and possibly moving your hearing aids with them). They function like a retention band but are less obvious.
These devices are created to keep you more comfortable by holding your glasses in position and securing your hearing aids.
Will your hearing aids have more feedback with glasses?
There are certainly some accounts out there that glasses might cause feedback with your hearing aids. And it does occur, but it’s not the most common complaint. But it’s also feasible that something else, like a speaker, is actually what’s causing the feedback.
Still, you should definitely contact us if you think your glasses may be causing your hearing aids to feedback.
How to wear your hearing aids and glasses
If you make certain that your devices are properly worn you can prevent many of the issues associated with using glasses and hearing aids together. You want them to fit right!
Here’s how you can start doing that:
First put on your glasses. When it comes to adjustment, your glasses are larger so they will have less wiggle room.
Once you have your glasses in position, position the shell of your hearing aid between your glasses earpiece and your outer ear. The earpiece of your glasses should be against your head.
After both are comfortably set up, you can place the microphone of the hearing aid in your ear.
And that’s it! Kind of, there’s definitely a learning curve with regard to putting on and taking off your glasses without knocking your hearing aid out of place.
Take good care of your hearing aids (and your glasses)
In some cases, friction between your hearing aids and your glasses occurs because the devices aren’t working as designed. Sometimes, things break! But with some maintenance, those breakages can be prevented.
For your hearing aids:
- At least once every week, clean your hearing aids.
- Make sure to recharge your battery when necessary (if your hearing aid is rechargeable).
- The right tools (a soft pick and a brush) should be used to clear away debris and earwax.
- Keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry place when you’re not wearing them.
For your glasses:
- When your glasses become dirty, clean them. Typically, this is at least once every day!
- To clean your glasses, make use of a soft, microfiber cloth. Your lenses could easily be scratched by a paper towel or your shirt, so don’t use them.
- If your glasses stop fitting well, take them to your optician for an adjustment.
- Keep your glasses in a case when you’re not using them. Or, you can store them in a safe dry place if you don’t have a case.
Sometimes you require professional help
Though it might not at first seem like it, both hearing aids and glasses a specialized pieces of technology. This means that it’s essential to speak with professionals who can help you determine the best fit possible for both your hearing aids and your glasses.
Preventing issues instead of trying to fix them later can be accomplished by getting the right help to start with.
Your glasses and hearing aids can get along with each other
If you haven’t already realized it, now it’s time to accept that hearing aids and glasses don’t need to fight with each other. Yes, needing both of these devices can initiate some challenges. You will be able to be more focused on enjoying your life and less on keeping your hearing aid in place with our help.