Ma in law has had tinnitus for years and has had a couple of sets of hearing aids but has never really got on with them and they reside in a drawer. She doesn't really like anything at all in her ears. She is getting very difficult to communicate with and can't understand us or the hospital on the phone.

Her latest idea is that she would like to try these. They are heavily advertised but I haven't found anyone who uses them. Can somebody/anybody give some feedback?

I posted on the Tinnitus forum and it was suggested that I post here in case anyone else can help.

I tried putting Hearing Glasses into Google and came up with articles but no shops, so maybe they are just experimental at the moment, the article that I read says that you still have to have tubes to your ears, and, also says that they are directional, relying on you looking where you wish to hear which doesnt sound particularly good.

However that was a newspaper article and may have certain facts wrong.
Steve

There was a Daily Mail article in 2006 I think.

I can only find one firm in this country. It seems a long time without them appearing to have taken off.

Here's the website links to the two major manufacturers in the UK:

Starkey: www.spectaclehearingsystems.co.uk/
Puretone: www.puretone.net/spectacle.html

Neither of these can supply direct to the public, but both have 'Find A Local/Authorised Supplier' links on their websites.

Alternatively, ask your local hearing aid audiologist for advice - that what he is there for. If you don't have one, most branches of Boots and Specsavers should be able to help you.

Smoker

Spectacle Aids come in 2 formats basically; air conduction, which will still require your mother in law wears a fitting in one or both ears to channel in the amplified sound, or bone conduction, which don't but are only appropriate for a very few people whose hearing deficiency is limited to the outer or middle ear. People with any significant sensori-neural (inner-ear basically) loss (such as presbyacusis i.e. age related loss)are unlikely to get much benefit from bone conduction spec. aids.
The 'phone can usually be much improved by choosing a 'phone carefully and using a manually operated or, better still, an automatically activated dedicated telephone setting.
All of that said, she will need significant counselling and support if she is to take to any hearing instruments having already consigned a couple of pairs to the drawer.
I really don't want to sound negative, but if she wants to persue any path involving hearing aids, she is going to require significant help from someone such as yourself and a good audiologist in selecting , fitting and rehabilitating to hearing aids.
As to how good spec aids are, for the person who fits the criteria perfectly they can be an ideal solution, for most they are a dead loss, honestly.
Most of the time they are simply an advertising gimmick designed to produce enquiries from people who can then be fitted with (hopefully) a more suitable system.
The real best course of action is to get one or two assessments and select the system that best matches your mother in law's criteria
Good luck

I just want to endorse the comments made by oxo. In 20 or so years of dispensing aids, 'spec-aids' have been available for all of that time. They are not a new idea and IMHO, the real reason why they have not 'taken off', is because they invariably do not perfom as well as most people would like them to. They tend to be difficult, sometimes impossible to fit and are most certainly not a cheap option.
As stated above, the only realistic route for hearing aid users is practice, practice, practice!
Keep trying to persuade her to wear them, maybe go back to the dispenser and have them refitted with the emphasis on rehabilitation and wearing regime.
GL
It's nice to be back

I'd echo the comments from inthebiz. I find that BC spec aids work well for pure conductive losses, but don't use them apart from that.
You will find that some suppliers (HH), use spec aids in their marketting. It really is just a 'bum on a seat' exercise as most will not be suitable for them.

Thank you. This is rather what I expected but of course not what I had hoped for as of course we all dream of an easy solution.

Unfortunately she now has arthritis and is finding the little hearing aids she has very fiddly to put in/use as well.