EssilorLuxottica's Andrea Pastro demonstrating the new Nuance frames at ODMA25

Taking pride of place in an unmissable position on its large stand at the front of the exhibition hall for ODMA’s 2025 optical fair in Sydney, was EssilorLuxottica’s latest market offering: Nuance Audio Glasses.

Described by the company as “a disruptive new category in the med-tech space”, Nuance Audio Glasses integrate open-ear hearing technology in the frames of specially designed smart glasses. “After decades of adoption barriers ranging from comfort to visibility, consumers will finally be able to see clearly and hear clearly with a single product that is both beautiful and highly functional,” said EssilorLuxottica.

The company’s highly anticipated ‘hearing specs’ gained FDA approval in February this year, roughly 18 months after EssilorLuxottica acquired Nuance Hearing and announced it was forming a dedicated ‘Super Audio team’ within its R&D division to develop the technology. The result? Two fairly chunky-sided acetate frames, available in panto or D-frame in three colours, black, burgundy and dark blue. “Nuance Audio Glasses are not a mere ‘sound amplifier’, but a proper medical device,” said EssilorLuxottica. “They are spectacle frames embedded with groundbreaking technology that seamlessly integrate an air conduction hearing aid to amplify sound for adult users with perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment.”

The glasses can be tailored to specific hearing needs and surroundings, explained Andrea Pastro, Essilor Luxottica’s super audio portfolio and channels director at ODMA25. They are aimed at the 1.25 billion people worldwide who, according to the World Health Organization, have mild to moderate hearing loss; many of whom don’t wish to have their hearing checked or pay for expensive, often uncomfortable and unsightly hearing devices, he said. “We built this solution on the basis of turning these barriers into solutions.”

As people age, many struggle in noisy environments because of presbycusis – gradual, irreversible age-related hearing loss. Packed with an array of microphones in the temples, Nuance Audio Glasses’ amplification technology is directional, creating a focused audio boost from the direction you are looking in or from a wider hearing space around you, said Pastro. Reaching about 3m, this directionality is adapted using the Nuance app on your phone or smart watch, or a discreet pocket-sized remote control, he said, allowing the listener to focus more on the speaker they are facing or the wider sounds around them.

Nuance glasses come with prescription lenses, Transitions or blue light, detailed instructions for downloading and setting up the app, a charging pad and a case, with the remote control available as an add-on. The glasses can also be turned on and off, and the volume adjusted, via a multifunction button on the right temple. The glasses automatically turn off when the temples are closed. “Additionally, you can switch between audio modes (Frontal and All-around) by double tapping on the tap area located on the frame,” said the company.