Experiencing hearing loss can feel daunting or discouraging, but it doesn’t have to, said Paul Jackson, director of marketing at Clear-tone Hearing Aid Laboratories in Tulsa.
Clear-tone is shaping the future of hearing aid technology not just in Oklahoma, but across the world. 80% of all hearing aids sold around the world utilized patented technology from Clear-tone, and they have over 50 patents on hearing aid technology issued around the world as a result of their constant pursuit of innovative technologies, Jackson said. The company works to find the right hearing aid for each individual patient, taking into account not only their level of hearing loss, but also their age, lifestyle and individual needs.
“Hearing loss is almost always something that happens gradually,” Jackson said. “We see a huge success rate with patients — even patients that don't think they're having a problem — because you don't know what you're missing until you actually get tested and experience better hearing.”
Hearing loss can affect people of all different ages, lifestyles and demographics, Jackson said. While hearing loss occurs naturally as people age, it can be precipitated by illnesses and exposure to loud noises.
“There's no question that long periods of loud noise exposure — whether that's by your trade or a hobby you have, like listening to music — can play a factor in hearing loss,” Jackson said. “Typically, the most common type of hearing loss we see is just the typical aging process. Much like with eyeglasses, once you hit the age of 50, the likelihood of somebody having glasses versus not goes up tremendously. We see that with hearing aids, too. There's different types of viruses, accidents, certain drugs, like chemotherapy, or radiation that can cause hearing loss as well. “
Individuals who appear similar on paper may have completely different levels of hearing loss, causing them to need hearing aids that meet their unique needs, said Charley Feeley, director of operations at Clear-tone.
“Everybody's hearing loss is like a thumbprint — you can't take a cookie cutter approach,” Feeley said. “You have to come up with a custom hearing solution for each individual. You might have two guys who worked in the same oil fields for the same amount of time, and one of them has much worse losses than the other. It's not always a perfect science.”
Scientific advances in the hearing aid industry allow clients access to cutting-edge technology like Bluetooth connectivity and foreign language translation, Jackson said. Importantly, many of the hearing aids offered at Clear-tone are discreet and small in size.
“Nobody wants their hearing aid to be super obvious,” Jackson said. “Our hearing aids are so compact, they are virtually invisible when they're worn. And now even more so, because if you need to adjust your volume on your hearing aids, you can pull out your iPhone and use the app. So it kind of just looks like you're texting or checking Facebook.”
Paul Jackson, Charley Feeley, Clear-tone
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, experts at Clear-tone noticed people recognizing they may be in need of a hearing aid.
“There was an enlightenment as people went through [the pandemic] — you don't realize how much you read people's lips,” Jackson said. “Everybody's wearing a mask, which exposes some people to the realization that they do have a hearing issue and need to get it resolved. There's a lot to be said about being able to hear. It's such a critical component to communication and being connected to people.”
For more info visit mycleartone.com or call 918-493-4040.
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