When your vision starts to deteriorate, you notice right away. It’s easy to recognize. Maybe words on the credit card machine at the grocery store become harder to read, and you find yourself leaning in or squinting just to make sense of the numbers. Perhaps your favorite book is held at arm’s length, but even that doesn’t seem to help anymore.
It might take days or even weeks before you admit that something is wrong. But once you do, it’s not long before you’re booking an appointment with an optometrist to get the answers you need and figure out what’s next.
Vision is integral to staying active, socially engaged, and mentally sharp. It helps you navigate the world and connect with people. Without it, everyday tasks become more difficult.
The silent struggle: ignoring hearing loss
Unlike vision loss, hearing decline often goes unnoticed for much longer. It’s easier to brush it off when your son has to repeat himself a few times or when your grandkids comment on the TV volume during a family gathering. You might laugh it off and assume it’s no big deal. Many people ignore their hearing issues for years, assuming they’re just part of aging.
But unlike the obvious struggles associated with poor eyesight, hearing loss is often overlooked until it starts to impact relationships and daily life. Did you know that on average, individuals wait 10 years before seeking help for hearing loss? Can you imagine waiting that long to get glasses to improve your vision?
Vision and hearing: more connected than you think
While they seem like two separate senses, vision and hearing are deeply intertwined when it comes to how they shape your experience of the world. Your eyes help you see facial expressions, body language, and interpret important visual cues like road signs and signals. On the other hand, hearing helps you understand speech, enjoy music, and connect emotionally with others.
Both of these senses are essential for communication and overall well-being. When one begins to fail, the other may also decline. In fact, studies have shown that for every level of deterioration in your vision, the likelihood of experiencing hearing loss increases by 18%.
Even though you might not notice hearing loss right away, if your vision isn’t what it used to be, it’s worth scheduling a hearing test as well.
Why waiting on hearing aids can hurt your health
The longer someone waits to get hearing aids, the greater the risk of their brain’s cognitive functions being affected. Hearing loss is not just an issue for your ears—it also impacts the brain. Your brain is wired to process sound, and when hearing deteriorates over time, your brain’s ability to recognize and distinguish sounds starts to weaken as well.
For instance, distinguishing between sounds like “b” and “d” becomes harder. Your brain struggles to identify sounds like a car horn from a fire truck siren. The longer hearing loss goes untreated, the more challenging it becomes for the brain to “remember” what these sounds mean.
Research from Johns Hopkins reveals that untreated hearing loss can even cause brain shrinkage, visible on an MRI scan. In addition, studies have shown that people with untreated hearing loss are at a much higher risk of cognitive decline, including dementia.
The benefits of early hearing aid intervention
By seeking hearing aids sooner, you can slow down cognitive decline. Recent studies show that people who wear hearing aids experience a reduction in dementia risk and a slower rate of cognitive deterioration. It’s never too late to start taking control of your hearing health, no matter how long you’ve been living with hearing challenges.
If you’ve already waited longer than you’d like to get your hearing checked, don’t worry. It’s not too late. Getting fitted for hearing aids can reverse some of the damage caused by untreated hearing loss. To make the adjustment easier, consider practicing in quieter settings first and gradually transitioning to busier environments, such as the grocery store or family gatherings.
The powerful connection between vision and hearing
The connection between vision and hearing is not just theoretical—it’s backed by science. If you’re noticing your vision isn’t as sharp as it once was, there’s a good chance your hearing may also be declining. It’s easy to dismiss hearing loss, but the longer you wait, the harder it becomes to treat. Don’t let untreated hearing loss compromise your quality of life.
Find a hearing specialist near you and schedule a hearing test to protect your brain, your relationships, and your overall well-being.