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By Dr. Sidney Ordway, BVA National Treasurer
I recently received a set of hearing aids through VA. The South
Texas Veterans Health Care System’s Visual Impairment Services
Team requested that I document my experience. Some of my comments
will be included in the Blind Rehabilitation Services journal
as we conclude "The Year of the Ear." I would like to
share the same observations with Bulletin readers.
I have heard many reports of people being fitted with hearing
aids and then putting them in a drawer, never to wear them again.
There is some adjustment and accommodation required when an individual
begins using the devices, but the investment in time and effort
is well worth the results. I hope that an observation or two of
mine might be helpful to blind or visually impaired individuals
who might be contemplating the acquisition of hearing aids.
Problem and Symptoms
I am a totally blind veteran with bilateral high frequency hearing
loss. My low frequency hearing is within normal range.
I have difficulty understanding people with high-pitched voices,
such as women and children. I also have difficulty following conversations
in crowded or noisy environments, such as restaurants. Inability
to hear high frequency sounds, such as those emanating from telephones,
insects, running water, air leaks, and some appliances, has also
been experienced.
Initial Observations
The hearing aids provided to me are digital. They contain individual
volume controls for each one. The units are easy to insert into
the ear and comfortable to wear. They have a design that makes
the changing of the battery a relatively simple process.
Some period of adjustment will be required as the mind adapts
to the increase in new information that must be processed when
the aids are worn. Echo navigation, the use of sound to identify
the proximity of walls, buildings, or large objects, is affected.
A certain degree of caution must therefore be observed until the
mind adjusts.
Because the wearing of the aids makes my own voice seem excessively
loud, there is a tendency to speak too softly. When outdoors,
the wind may create a masking sound similar to that heard when
a microphone without a windscreen is exposed to the wind. A certain
amount of experimentation is also required when using the telephone.
When the telephone receiver is not correctly positioned, for example,
feedback occurs in the form of a slight squealing sound.
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