She placed the lens in front of my eye. The letters snapped to attention and I could suddenly read what had a second ago been blurry. It felt like a miracle. Perfect vision in the blink of an eye. If only my hearing were so easy to correct. But unfortunately, hearing aids are not yet like glasses.
When you have hearing loss, your eyesight is critically important. Visual clues are essential for communication and also to keep you safe when out and about, since we may not hear cars or bikers approaching. I typically visit my eye doctor once a year for a check-up and vision test to keep things operating smoothly.
But when my eyesight changed unexpectedly, I balked. Even though I said out loud at least twice a day, “I can’t see,” I ignored it. Maybe it is a bout of vertigo, I thought. Or the change of seasons. I let it go for weeks, even months, which was very foolish.
In hindsight, this reminds me of how people treat their first indications of hearing loss — explaining it away and denying it, sometimes for as long as 7 to 10 years! Why was I making this mistake with my vision?
The last straw was when I almost cut my finger while slicing something in the kitchen. I had been lucky to avoid injury and went right to the phone to call my eye doctor. After a thorough exam, she determined that my eyesight had actually improved! My contact lenses were over-correcting my vision, leading to the difficulty in reading and with balance. I didn’t know your vision could improve with age! Maybe it is all the yoga I do.
My new contact lens prescription was like a miracle cure. Instead of declaring in frustration every day that I couldn’t see, I could now enjoy the crispness of the letters as I type. I could see rather than fumble with my locker combination at the yoga studio. A slight shift in my prescription and my vision problems were solved. I felt like I had won the lottery.
If I had typical hearing, I think I would have taken this experience for granted, but knowing how I still frequently struggle with my hearing, even when wearing hearing aids, I appreciated how easy it was to restore my vision.
I am very grateful for my hearing aids, but eagerly await continued technological advances. Perhaps one day, hearing aids will be more like glasses. We can always hope.
Readers, do you take good care of your eyes?
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Twenty years ago I had my first cataract surgery. A few years later I had the second eye done. These procedures left me with near perfect vision until I developed an alignment problem (double vision) that is corrected with lenses. Some sophisticated surgery and lens grinding and I have 20/20 vision.
Now, I have a cochlear implant and a digital hearing aid that enables me to participate again in conversation and commerce at a level I could not do only a short time ago. It isn’t 20/20 hearing but it works. I often think of what life would be like without these near miraculous interventions. We are, indeed, children of our age.
It’s thrilling to imagine what the next generation will see and hear.
Technology is amazing and, as you say, it will only get better with time. Thanks for sharing your perspective.
Jerry,
I too have witnessed remarkable transformation in both technology and medical science. Today’s hearing aid technology has kept up with my progressive deafness and today’s medical innovations give me hope that I will never be left out of the loop!
I am on my way to pick up glasses with a new prescription. I’m so looking forward to seeing clearly once again!
Cheers to another great post!
Cheri
Excellent! Enjoy the new glasses!
Hi
I have had something similar happen when back in February this year I had cataract surgery on my right eye. The procedure lasted under 10 minutes and I could see better than I’ve done in years.
Had an eye test 3 weeks later and my vision is nearly perfect. I just have a pair of specs for driving.
it’s a pity that the same can’t be done with sensorineural hearing loss.
Ah well, as you say we live in hope, but I’m not holding my breath.
Ian
Thanks for sharing your story. Don’t give up hope! : )
Thank you for sharing. I also enjoyed your yoga blog. I started practicing 3 months ago (though hot yoga is not my thing). I do let the instructors know I am hearing impaired and try to get the middle spot as you suggested. One issue I do have is keeping my cochlear implants from falling off while trying various poses. Any suggestions? I have tried a headband but it tends to slip as I practice.
Glad you are enjoying yoga too! I think a headband is a good idea. You might need one that is tighter so that it does not slip off or maybe a sweat band style that would stay in place. If you asked at a yoga studio or store, they might have some good suggestions. Thanks for your comment!
I have an inoperable defect in one eye so I take my eye care very seriously since a lot of my vision is done with one eye. My optometrist retired and the new person who bought his practice I was skeptical but she is adorable and wonderful. She presented the same enthusiasm as my previous guy for the oddity in my eye.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if hearing adjustments could be so easy as the eyes, “Which is better, One or Two? Maybe in the future!
I sure hope so! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Hi Shari. How amazing that your eye sight had improved! i wonder if the same can happen with hearing!? …I have recently taken my CROS hearing aid back to the audiologist centre, as it didn’t prove helpful for me…Oh, I really wish for a day where our hearing can be improved as well as glasses can improve sight…We can stay hopeful!
Take care, and thank you for sharing
– Carly
It is a strange thing! I wish it would happen for hearing too, but so far, not to me. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
I have a vision loss which cannot be corrected with glasses so perfectly. It’s a bit like my hearing aid which also cannot restore my hearing as I would like. I have vision only in one eye, so eye health is so important as is ear health, and I use bicros aids to try to improve situations from my blind and deaf side.
Thank you for sharing your experiences.