Mary Black opens up about her hearing loss during Specsavers’ Healthy Hearing Month

Irish folk singer Mary Black has teamed up with Specsavers for Healthy Hearing Month, to encourage the public to take action and look after their hearing.

In the third year of Specsavers’ Healthy Hearing Month campaign, Mary has joined the audiology experts to turn up the volume on hearing health, as she opens up about her own personal hearing loss journey.

Mary says: "Working in the music industry, I’ve come to understand how important looking after my hearing is, not only for my career but for my overall quality of life. Over the last number of years, I have noticed my hearing deteriorate, most likely due to being close to loud monitors on stage but I really noticed it more after I had Ramsey Hunt Syndrome. I recently got my hearing checked and the audiologist at my local Specsavers store let me know that I’d really benefit from hearing aids.

"Once these were fitted, I couldn’t believe the difference they made to my life. I love singing and performing and listening to music and being able to hear everything more clearly over the last few weeks has been fantastic. Nobody wants to be left missing sounds so it’s important that we work together to normalise the conversation around hearing loss and encourage people who might be struggling to seek help from an expert."

Speaking about the launch of Healthy Hearing Month this April, Specsavers Audiology Chairperson, Martina McNulty, says: "As a business, we’ve made it our mission to change the conversation around our hearing health and break down the stigma that exists. We want to encourage more people to think about their hearing as part of their overall health. If you’ve noticed any changes in your hearing or have any concerns, we can help."

Getting a hearing aid is all about finding what’s right for you, understanding your hearing needs, your lifestyle and your budget. Specsavers offers a wide range of hearing aids, including its own Specsavers Advance range. Advance hearing aids feature some of the latest technology, at Specsavers prices. Features can include background noise reduction, mobile audio streaming from a device such as a phone, wireless connectivity, app connectivity, and rechargeability.

Hearing loss is experienced by around one in twelve Irish adults and affects people of all ages. Your hearing changes over time and for different reasons, which is why people experience different types of loss at different stages in life. Despite this, many people ignore the signs of hearing loss, and that is something that needs to change. Specsavers pledged to test and screen a quarter of a million people over a two-year period and are incredibly close to reaching this target.

Recent research, from Specsavers, found that 42% of adults currently struggle with their hearing or know a loved one who is struggling. One in five people in Ireland mishear what people nearby are saying, while others struggle to hear doorbells (18%) and hear the phone ring (15%). Almost six in ten (57%) of those struggling with hearing loss claim they have had to ask people to repeat themselves recently and half (50%) notice themselves turning up the television higher than normal.

Despite this almost a third of adults (28%) have never gone for a routine hearing test.

Specsavers also offers PRSI Treatment Benefit for those who are eligible. Through the scheme you can avail of a pair of hearing aids up to the value of €1,000 or put their PRSI contribution towards the cost of a more expensive pair of hearing aids at Specsavers.

For more information about using your PRSI Treatment benefit entitlement available at Specsavers, speak to your local store or check out www.specsavers.ie/hearing/hearing-aids/prsi-treatments-benefit. You can also make an appointment online.