You’ve likely noticed that when movies or television shows get really intense, they start using close-ups (possibly even extreme close-ups). 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 very facially focused.
So having all of your chief human sensors, nose, eyes, ears, and mouth, on the face is not surprising. The face is jam packed (in an aesthetically wonderful way, of course).
But when your face needs more than one assistive device, it can become an issue. It can become a bit cumbersome when you wear a hearing aid and wear glasses simultaneously, for example. In some instances, you may even have difficulties. These tips on how to wear hearing aids and glasses simultaneously can help you handle those challenges, and prepare you for your (metaphorical) closeup!
Do hearing aids conflict with wearing glasses?
As both your ears and your eyes will often need a bit of assistance, it’s common for people to be worried that their eyeglasses and hearing aids could hinder each other. That’s because both the positioning of hearing aids and the size of eyeglasses have physical constraints. Using them at the same time can be uncomfortable for some people.
A few basic challenges can come about:
- Pressure: Both eyeglasses and hearing aids need to affix to your face somehow; often, they use the ear as a good anchor. But when your ears have to hold on to both eyeglasses and hearing aids, a feeling of pressure and sometimes even pain can result. This can also develop pressure and strain around the temples.
- Poor audio quality: It’s not unusual for your glasses to knock your hearing aids out of position, resulting in less than perfect audio quality.
- Skin irritation: Skin irritation can also be the consequence of all those things hanging off your face. Mostly this occurs because neither your hearing aid nor glasses are fitting correctly.
So can hearing aids be worn with glasses? Of course you can! It may seem like they’re contradictory, but behind-the-ear hearing aids can effectively be worn with glasses!
Using hearing aids and glasses together
It may take a little bit of work, but whatever your style of hearing aid, it can work with your glasses. Generally, only the behind-the-ear style of hearing aid is pertinent to this discussion. Inside-the-canal hearing aids are quite small and fit almost entirely inside the ear so they aren’t really relevant here. There’s usually absolutely no clash between inside-the-canal hearing aids and glasses.
But with behind-the-ear hearings they…well, sit behind the ear. The electronics that go behind your ears connect to a wire leading to a speaker that’s positioned inside the ear canal. Each type of hearing aid has its own advantages and drawbacks, so you should consult us about what type of hearing aid would be best for your hearing needs.
If you wear your glasses every day all day, you may want to go with an inside-the-canal style of hearing aid; but this kind of device won’t be the best choice for everyone. To be able to hear adequately, some people require a BTE style device; but don’t worry, you can make just about any hearing aid work with your glasses.
Adjust your glasses
In some cases, the type and style of glasses you have will have a considerable influence on how comfortable your hearing aids are. You will want to invest in glasses that have thinner frames if you use a large BTE hearing aid. Work with your optician to pick out a glasses style that will suit your hearing aids.
And it’s also significant to make sure your glasses fit properly. They shouldn’t be too loose or too snug. If your glasses are jiggling around all over the place, you could compromise your hearing aid results.
Don’t be afraid to use accessories
So how can hearing aids and glasses aids be worn with each other? There are lots of other individuals who are dealing 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. Some of those devices include:
- Retention bands: These bands fit around the back of your glasses, and they help keep your glasses in place. If you’re a more active person, these are a practical idea.
- Specially designed devices: There are a wide variety of devices on the market designed specifically to make it easier to wear your hearing aids and glasses together. Devices include pieces of cloth that hold your hearing aids in place and glasses with hearing aids built right in.
- Anti-slip hooks: These hooks also help to prevent your glasses from sliding all around (and possibly moving your hearing aids with them). They work like a retention band but are more subtle.
The objective with all of these devices is to secure your hearing aids, keep your glasses in place, and keep you feeling comfortable.
Can glasses produce hearing aid feedback?
Some individuals who use glasses with their hearing aids do report more feedback. It isn’t a very common complaint but it does occur. But it’s also feasible that something else, such as a speaker, is actually what’s triggering the feedback.
Still, you should certainly consult us if you think your glasses might be causing your hearing aids to feedback.
The best way to wear your hearing aids and glasses
If you make sure that your devices are properly worn you can avoid many of the problems associated with wearing glasses and hearing aids at the same time. Having them fit well is the key!
You can do that by utilizing these tips:
Put your glasses put first. In terms of adjustment, your glasses are larger so they will have less wiggle room.
Then, carefully position your hearing aid shell between your outer ear and your glasses earpiece. The earpiece of your glasses should be against your head.
Adjust both as needed in order to be comfortable, then place the hearing aid microphone in your ear canal.
And that’s it! Kind of, there’s definitely a learning curve when it comes to putting on and taking off your glasses without knocking your hearing aid out of place.
Maintain both your glasses and your hearing aids
Sometimes, friction between your glasses and hearing aids happens because the devices aren’t functioning as intended. Things break sometimes! But with a little maintenance, those breakages can be prevented.
For your hearing aids:
- If you have a rechargeable hearing aid, keep the battery charged.
- Be sure to clean your hearing aids at least once a week.
- Keep your hearing aids in a cool, dry spot when you’re not wearing them.
- The right tools (a soft pick and a brush) should be utilized to clear away earwax and debris.
For your glasses:
- Take your glasses to your optician if they stop fitting properly.
- When you aren’t using, store in a case. If you don’t have a case, just keep them in a dry place where they won’t be accidentally smashed or stepped on.
- Use a microfiber cloth to clean your glasses. Your lenses could easily be scratched by a paper towel or your shirt, so don’t use them.
- When your glasses are dirty, clean them. At least once a day is the best plan.
Sometimes you require professional help
Hearing aids and glasses are both specialized devices (although they may not seem like it on the surface). So determining the best fit for your hearing aids and your glasses will usually call for a professional’s help.
Preventing problems rather than trying to fix them later can be achieved by getting the right help to start with.
Hearing aids and glasses don’t have to fight
If you haven’t already realized it, now it’s time to accept that hearing aids and glasses don’t have to fight with each other. Yes, needing both of these devices can cause 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.