Don’t struggle with hearing loss: Hear Clear today

Are you or a loved one struggling with hearing loss? You’re not alone: About 15 percent of Americans 18 and older have some form of hearing loss. Adults 60 and older typically experience the greatest amount of hearing loss, and it’s twice as likely to affect men than women. The National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders estimates that at least 28.8 million U.S. adults could benefit from using hearing aids.

The symptoms are usually not hard to spot, says audiologist Alex Fontes, founder of the Hear Clear Hearing Centers. Someone experiencing hearing loss will often “complain that people are mumbling or speaking too softly; they’ll frequently ask people to repeat what they have said—especially in noisy situations,” he says. “They prefer the television or radio louder than other people, and have difficulty understanding what’s said on the telephone. They struggle to understand all the dialogue at the movies or during a live theater production, and have difficulty understanding people speaking at their house of worship or other public gatherings. They have trouble understanding people when they cannot see their faces.”

And that, he says, can lead to feelings of impatience, irritability, and frustration— causing the person to withdraw.

Fontes says he was a regional director for a major hearing corporation when he was inspired to walk away and open his own practice to help people Hear Clear. “The experience [of being fitted for a hearing aid] should be a good one, and not traumatic,” he says. “I wanted to ensure patients weren’t being taken advantage of, and help people get hearing aids at a lower cost to the patient. We often give patients 50 to 75 percent discounts on hearing aids.”

Today’s hearing aids offer a lot of features that your grandfather’s didn’t: Bluetooth connectivity; noise reduction; directional microphones; rechargeable battery; customizable settings — even artificial intelligence. “Most hearing aids today are capable of connecting wirelessly to cell phones, computers, televisions, and other devices,” Fontes says.

And while many hearing aids are also small or stylish, Fontes says the biggest mistake people make when selecting one is vanity: “Patients are more worried about the look of the hearing aid, than the actual problem with their hearing.”

The first Hear Clear Hearing Center opened on Bath Pike in Bethlehem Township in the fall of 2016. Hear Clear has since expanded to include centers in Bangor and Easton.

“We work with every insurance company and all manufacturers,” Fontes says. “And I have an open-door policy: If a patient needs me, they can just come by, and I’ll see them that day. We always give patients plenty of time with their appointment; we are never in a rush to get our patients out the door. We answer calls at night and on weekends, at home; we even make house calls at no charge to our patients. We’re a family oriented business that treats patients more like family, and not like customers.”

To learn more about Hear Clear Hearing Centers and what you can do to improve your hearing, visit www.hearclearhc.com or call (610) 317-2600.