I wore smart glasses with built-in hearing aids for a week, and they're a promising alternative

Since the US Food and Drug Administration approved a category of hearing aids that can be sold to consumers without a doctor’s prescription, companies have found new ways to provide people with over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. 

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In an attempt to make hearing devices more accessible and stylish, EssilorLuxottica, the manufacturer behind eyewear brands such as Ray-Ban and Oakley, introduced Nuance Audio, a pair of glasses that can address sight issues and mild hearing loss.

I’ve followed Nuance Audio since I demoed the product at CES in January and tested the glasses more thoroughly over the last two weeks to assess their performance. Although I don’t have a diagnosis for hearing loss, I can tell you my experience. Here’s what you should know.

Wait, those are hearing aids?

Nuance Audio’s mission is to provide wearers with an all-in-one device that aids eyesight and hearing corrections in a stylish and discreet design. These glasses don’t look like hearing aids. I wore the Panthos 48 style in Shiny Burgundy, and they look almost identical to the Ray-Bans I wear every day. 

The Nuance Audio glasses weren’t as heavy on my face as my Ray-Ban Meta, but they were heavier than my daily glasses, likely because they have speakers and microphones inside that add to the weight. The arms of the glasses are thicker for the mics and speakers. After a few hours, I felt some discomfort behind my ears.

How well do they work?

According to the FDA, OTC hearing aids are intended to be used by adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss. OTC hearing aids lack personalization, but they can help decrease the costs associated with trips to audiologists or the creation of custom hearing aids. Hearing loss is a spectrum, and everyone affected experiences it differently. 

Therefore, OTC hearing aids are designed to help people with mild hearing loss, and the Nuance Audio glasses are no different. To test their performance, I wore them to the grocery store, a networking event, a busy outdoor bar, a restaurant, and a Sunday family dinner.

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As someone without diagnosed hearing loss, I kept the glasses’ volume low to stop being overwhelmed by extraneous noise. However, they excelled in moderately noisy environments, like conversing with the cashier at the grocery store and having a group dinner with my family. I didn’t have to focus as hard to hear people over background noise.

At a restaurant on a busy Friday evening with background music and chatter, I could hear the waiter and my husband clearly through the glasses when they spoke to me. The glasses also pick up your voice and reproduce it through the speakers, which is great for people who can’t gauge how loud they’re speaking.

In the noisy bar, I had more trouble hearing a person speaking to me, even after toggling audio, microphone, and volume settings. The glasses picked up the bartender taking orders and clinking glasses, the couple having a conversation behind me, and the traffic sounds from the street. All the sounds were amplified, but none were particularly clear, meaning I was quickly overwhelmed.

In every environment, I asked people if they could hear the sounds coming from my glasses. Each time, the person said no, unless they put their ear to mine. At a normal distance, others shouldn’t hear your amplified audio, adding to the glasses’ discretion.

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Overall, noisy environments challenged the Nuance Audio glasses, so wearing them in a busy bar with loud music, at a concert, or to a sporting event may hinder your ability to focus on one specific person or sound. 

However, people who have difficulty participating in group conversations during family gatherings or dinners out with friends due to their hearing loss may find the Nuance Audio glasses helpful. They could make social gatherings easier to navigate.

How’s the app experience? 

The Nuance Audio glasses connect to your smartphone via Bluetooth, and the Nuance Audio app is available on Android and iOS. In the app, you can toggle background noise levels, the glasses’ volume, audio presets, and whether the microphones should pick up noise from in front of you or all around you.

A multifunction button on the right temple allows you to cycle through volume levels and turn the glasses on and off, and a touch control on the frame lets you cycle through audio presets.

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Nuance Audio’s battery lasts around eight hours, but power users may only get six. A full charge on the glasses’ charging pad takes about three hours, and a status light on the glasses indicates battery levels.

Availability

You can purchase the Nuance Audio frames from the company’s website for $1,200. If your vision insurance is in-network with Nuance Audio, you can use it during the online checkout. You can schedule Nuance Audio demos and appointments at Walmart Vision Centers, LensCrafters, For Eyes, Target Optical, Pearle Vision, and other participating retailers.

ZDNET’s buying advice

The Nuance Audio hearing glasses could be a great option for adults with mild hearing loss who want an unassuming and stylish alternative to traditional in-ear hearing aids. The glasses’ companion app is easy to navigate, and they’re widely available in most local optical retailers.

If traditional in-ear OTC hearing aids aren’t to your style, you should give these a shot. The only drawback is their short battery life, as most people wear their corrective lenses for more than six to eight hours a day.