Specsavers has opened its 300th audiology store, in a milestone the company says signifies its commitment to making expert hearing solutions more accessible to communities nationwide.
Specsavers Leopold opened in Geelong, Victoria, in late February 2024 in time to offer free 15-minute hearing checks during Hearing Awareness Week (March 1-7 2024).
Audiology professional Ms Lesley Thyssen said her team was excited to open their doors to the local community.
“We look forward to assisting people to connect and thrive through improved hearing health,” she said. “The satisfaction we get when a customer has a dramatic improvement in their lives and ability to communicate is what I love most about my job.
“There’s fantastic new technology which keeps getting better every day and it’s great to be able to help a large segment of the population.”
Specsavers managing director of audiology Australia and New Zealand, Mr Tom Craw, said the new offering gave a more accessible solution to hearing loss by providing Specsavers’ well-known clear, low prices and expert service.
“The meaning of Hearing Awareness Week is to highlight the importance of adequate hearing care for all and we’re working to do just that by continuing to open stores in locations for our customers,” he said.
“Audiology is now available in 300 stores, so even more Australians can access quality hearing care at an affordable price. Specsavers Audiology genuinely cares about their customers’ hearing health and access to fair and affordable hearing care.
‘‘Early detection can make a significant difference.”
Reducing the years it takes to act on hearing loss
According to Specsavers, one in six Australians experience some degree of hearing loss, equivalent to more than 45,000 people in Geelong alone. Nationwide, 1.3 million people live with a hearing condition that could have been prevented, and as Australia’s population ages, it’s expected the number of people with a hearing impairment will double to an estimated 7.8 million people in 2060.
Specsavers Audiology said that, on average, it takes people seven to 10 years to act on hearing loss once it is identified as a problem, and it does not want Australians to wait nearly a decade to address their hearing challenges, especially if it means they can’t live their lives to the fullest.
Specsavers Audiology is accredited as a qualified hearing service provider by the Australian Government Hearing Services Program, which provides eligible people with access to hearing services such as hearing assessments, subsidised hearing aids and aftercare service.
It offers comprehensive hearing assessments for $49 and a range of hearing aids designed and built by leading manufacturers. A pair of hearing aids at Specsavers starts at $1,495.
More reading
Prominent optical industry trainers behind new Australasian College of Audiometry
Hearing aids stabilise cognitive function in elderly
Review confirms cancer treatment, antibiotics, COVID-19 as risk factors for hearing loss