At Virginia Eye Institute, we strive to provide the best healthcare experience possible for our patients in Richmond and Central Virginia. Part of that is staying in touch with our patient’s comprehensive healthcare demands and needs.
When our physician’s noticed how many of our ophthalmic patients were struggling with their hearing, the VEI Hearing Center was created.
Our hearing services are customized around each patients unique hearing needs. Read our patient reviews to see how we’ve helped patients navigate hearing loss.
How Hearing Loss Affects You
Hearing loss affects around 48 million people in the United States – including one out of every three people aged 65 or older. However, many people wait several years before scheduling an appointment for hearing loss.
Besides affecting your ability to hear the world around you, studies show that seniors with untreated hearing loss are more likely to report depression, anxiety, paranoia, and dementia. Seniors who have been treated for hearing loss and wear hearing aids are more likely to participate in social activities and report a better quality of life.
The Connection Between Hearing and Ophthalmology
At first glance, it may seem like our five senses operate independently from each other. However, our sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch may be more interconnected than you think.
Our brain uses information received from each sense to form an idea of what’s happening in the world around us. If one sense fails, another sense will work harder to relay information. If our vision fails, our hearing will work to pick up the slack. Likewise, if our hearing fails, our vision will work to counterbalance the loss.
Hearing and sight work together in subtle ways and influence each other’s perception every day. A familiar example may be having to turn down music in a car to concentrate on driving. As you age, both of these senses may deteriorate at a similar pace. Which is why it’s recommended to be evaluated for both senses if you notice one of them failing.
Additional Services:
Our audiologist can provide additional hearing-related services for individuals, such as:
- Musician earplugs
- Hearing protection
- Swimming earplugs
- Assistive listening devices