EssilorLuxottica releases results from 2 clinical studies evaluating the performance of its Nuance Audio Glasses, an open-ear hearing solution integrated into smart eyewear for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss.

The studies were sponsored by EssilorLuxottica and conducted in collaboration with researchers at Western University in Canada and the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL) in Australia. According to the company, the research examined both controlled laboratory performance and short-term real-world listening experiences to assess how the device performs in everyday communication settings.

EssilorLuxottica Chief of Audiology for Nuance Audio Tami Harel, PhD, presented the findings during a session titled “Clinical Efficacy of Open-Ear Hearing Aid Glasses” at the 69th EUHA (European Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians) Congress in Hanover, Germany, as part of the event’s official academic program.

The Western University study evaluated the glasses in simulated real-life noise environments and reported improvements in speech understanding of up to 29% in challenging acoustic conditions, along with reductions in self-reported listening effort based on standardized rating scales.

The NAL study assessed laboratory performance as well as supervised real-world use over a short period. Reported outcomes included a 3.48-decibel improvement in signal-to-noise ratio, which the researchers described as clinically meaningful for speech-in-noise performance. In addition, 70% of participants reported improved communication ability after 3 hours of real-world use, and participants’ self-identified communication goals were met in 84% to 95% of cases. The study also found that participants increasingly preferred using the glasses as listening environments became more challenging.

EssilorLuxottica stated that, taken together, the results suggest a progression from measurable laboratory-based improvements to perceived benefits in everyday communication, as well as user preference in more demanding acoustic settings.

“These results mark an important achievement in terms of the post-market clinical validation of the product for early-stage hearing support," said Dr. Harel.