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The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

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Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#241

Post by falcolas »

eurleif wrote: post #223
falcolas wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, there is a nuanced difference between hearing aids and iPods. Hearing aids basically apply a hearing-capability matched EQ to the incoming sound. Why this matters: Hearing loss is not uniform across frequencies, and we use huge portions of the spectrum for different functions (truck backup beepers vs. car engine noises, both used to identify what's coming your way).

Samsung phones have a feature that tests your hearing at different frequencies, creates a personalized EQ profile, and applies it to your earbuds: https://www.samsung.com/au/support/mobile-devices/customise-...

Cool. But without properly flat headphones and sufficient sound isolation, I wouldn't put a ton of trust into it.

It's probably good enough for an temporary situation, but I wouldn't trust it long term. Improper amplification can damage your hearing further.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#242

Post by tpmx »

coupdejarnac wrote: post #166
diob wrote: post #135

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are so many cost barriers to treatments. It's definitely not for patients at this point. For instance, I am supposed to redo my sleep apnea test every so often. But it's out of pocket? Why bother, I know mine is due to my genetics (I'm not overweight). So why am I subjected to reproving my need for a prescription? For eyeglasses, if someone wants to continue the same prescription they can't. It's like healthcar…

I'm going through this right now. I know I probably need a cpap machine, so paying $300 out of pocket to rent a stupid device to record my sleep seems like a waste.

Well, at least you're doing it.

Crude but realistic: There is a pretty high number of (often but not always overweight) undiagnosed/untreated people suffering from obstructive sleep apnea on the roads every day. They are causing a number of avoidable accidents every day.

I think it's criminal to make CPAP as unaccessible as it is in the US.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#243

Post by takk309 »

14 wrote: post #59
kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We really need prescriptions for headphones to save people from themselves.

I don’t know about that but if there was a quality headphone that limited how loud my kid can play things and stopped spikes of loud audio during the loud parts of movies I would buy it today.

https://isotunes.com/products/isotunes-lite

These are limited to 85db output. I have a pair that I use in my woodshop as hearing protection, which they are rated for, and really like that my music or podcast stays at a consistent volume. I also have volume normalizing turned on in Spotify.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#244

Post by gpt5 »

We are seeing a long term consolidation between hearing devices and headphones.

On the headphones side, we are getting smaller, truly-wireless headphones with some ambient sound features (such as noise cancellation, and iOS hearing features). New trends like AR would just accelerate the change due to the need to solve all day worn audio devices.

On the hearing aids side, almost every hearing aid today acts as an always connected set of headphones for your mobile phone (and has been like that for years on iOS).

Deregulating this could bring the tech industry innovation to hearing aids through natural progression of headphones technology.

This trend would make hearing aids not just target hearing impaired people, but also individual with normal hearing. For example, features such as protecting your ears against a sudden loud noise, silencing a loud restaurant so you can have a quiet conversation or improving the audio of a soft speaker could be useful for everyone.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#245

Post by RHSeeger »

bastardoperator wrote: post #88
DaveExeter wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They charge for the eye exam.

That's the break even, those optometrist tools aren't cheap and that's to get you in the door. The real money comes from frames and contact sales.

Then their business model is broken and they need to charge more for exam.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#246

Post by jrace »

aurizon wrote: post #183

A hearing test measures how sensitive your hearing is in each ear at a range of frequencies - they send a beep at a certain frequency and ask you if you can hear it, and lower the volume until you can not hear it, raise it to confirm you can hear it. This is repeated in each ear over the normal range of hearing, nominally 20- Hz to 20,000 Hz, most older people have lost at the low and high end. The detailed frequency…

And the test is done in a controlled environment with calibrated equipment.

A "iphone hearing test' is a useful screening tool, and no more sadly.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#247

Post by jrace »

bserge wrote: post #175

Jesus, why were they prescription only in the first place? Same shit as levothyroxine, a basic medication used by millions, being prescription only. And many other drugs.

Asprin is not rx...and has killed millions.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16086703/#:~:text=Death%20ra....

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#248

Post by brutus1213 »

jrace wrote: post #128

How much would you pay for: *Hearing test * Hearing aid fitting * Usage counselling * Follow up adjustments * Annual retest of your hearing * Replacement of lost hearing aids * Unlimited repair for 3 years ?? ====== I got out of the Audiology field in 2015. At that time all the above was included for every hearing aid we sold (Prices varied from $750 / ear - $3600 / ear. When I was in that field many companies tried…

Any insights on tuning process for little kids? (2-3 year olds?) These guys don't really have the ability to provide feedback for retuning.

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#249

Post by ro_bit »

balls187 wrote: post #229
mbg721 wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Vision checks have also changed a lot in the last five years or so. I have a pretty strong prescription and always used to do rounds of reading charts and "A or B", and now there's a machine that scans my eyes and gets it very close to right, with an adjustment or two at the end.

They can now check ocular pressure without the puff!

That's amazing! The puff is soooo uncomfortable! Is the technology to do this widespread?

Re: The FDA wants you to be able to buy a hearing aid without a prescription

#250

Post by jl2718 »

jrace wrote: post #128

How much would you pay for: *Hearing test * Hearing aid fitting * Usage counselling * Follow up adjustments * Annual retest of your hearing * Replacement of lost hearing aids * Unlimited repair for 3 years ?? ====== I got out of the Audiology field in 2015. At that time all the above was included for every hearing aid we sold (Prices varied from $750 / ear - $3600 / ear. When I was in that field many companies tried…

Why is a doctor needed to do any of that?
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