EssilorLuxottica Unveils New Clinical Findings Demonstrating Significant Improvements in Hearing Performance with Nuance Audio Glasses

Tuesday, January 20 2026 | 08 h 46 min | News

EssilorLuxottica announced new clinical findings from two studies1,2 evaluating the performance of Nuance Audio Glasses*, the Group’s all-in-one open-ear hearing solution built into smart eyewear and intended for adults with mild to moderate hearing loss. The results were presented for the first time in Europe during the 69th EUHA Congress (European Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians) in Hanover, Germany, as part of the official academic program.

Dr. Tami Harel, Chief of Audiology of Nuance Audio, EssilorLuxottica, presented the session on “Clinical Efficacy of Open-Ear Hearing Aid Glasses”, sharing outcomes from studies conducted at Western University (Canada) and the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL, Australia), two globally recognized research centers in hearing science. Collectively, the studies evaluated both controlled laboratory performance and real-world listening experiences, demonstrating consistent benefits for users in everyday communication.

Key Findings

Western University (Canada)

The Western study evaluated Nuance Audio Glasses in controlled yet realistic noise conditions, designed to simulate daily listening environments. Results demonstrated:

• Up to 29% improvement in speech understanding in challenging acoustic conditions**
• Significant reduction in listening effort, as measured through standardized rating scales***
• These outcomes highlight the potential of Nuance Audio Glasses to support improved communication performance in noisy listening environments.

National Acoustic Laboratories (Australia)

The NAL study assessed both laboratory performance and short supervised real-world use. Reported outcomes included:

• 3.48 dB improvement in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), a clinically meaningful gain in speech-in-noise performance†
• 70% of participants reported improved communication ability after only 3 hours of real-world use‡
• Participants’ top communication goals were met in 84–95% of cases§
• Participants preferred using the glasses more as the acoustic environment became more challenging¶
• Together, the findings show a coherent trajectory, from measurable acoustic improvements in controlled laboratory conditions, to meaningful real-world communication benefits, and ultimately to a clear user preference for Nuance Audio Glasses in more challenging listening environments.

“One insight stands out across both studies: users prefer to wear Nuance Audio Glasses in the real, noisy conversations that matter most to them. These results mark an important achievement in terms of the post-market clinical validation of the product for early-stage hearing support,” said Dr. Tami Harel, Chief of Audiology of Nuance Audio, EssilorLuxottica.

“These new clinical findings represent an important milestone for EssilorLuxottica,” said Stefano Genco, Global Head of Nuance Audio, EssilorLuxottica. “Results from the two studies validate our vision of integrating advanced open-ear hearing technology into smart eyewear, addressed to an estimated 1.25 billion3 worldwide affected by mild to moderate hearing loss. Presenting these results for the first time at the EUHA Congress confirms our commitment to scientific rigor and innovation. We are proud to advance solutions that are not only clinically proven but also designed to seamlessly improve people’s everyday lives”.

Click HERE for the press release.

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Notes:

*Nuance Audio Glasses are not commercially available for sale in all countries.

**Compared to the unaided condition, in the Continuous Speech Test in multi-talker babble noise in 0dB and –3dB SNRs. Results from a prospective clinical trial from Western University (n=21).

***Compared to the unaided condition, based on the listening-effort rating scale (Johnson et al., 2015) and measured after each CST passage in multi-talker babble noise (0 dB and −3dB SNR). Results from a prospective clinical trial from Western University (n=21).

† Compared to the unaided condition, in the SIN test using adaptive BKB sentences in diffuse multi-talker babble, measured at the 50% speech reception threshold (SRT50). Results from a prospective clinical trial conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories (n=20).

‡ Based on a modified, scene-anchored IOI-HA completed after a supervised 3-hour real-world walk with the Nuance Audio™ device. Results from a prospective clinical trial conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories (n=20).

§ Based on the modified COSI, with participants selecting and prioritizing their listening goals and later rating improvement after ~3 hours of supervised real-world device use. Results from a prospective clinical trial conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories (n=20).

¶ Based on EMA responses collected during a supervised real-world walk, comparing aided vs. unaided listening when attending to a live talker. Results from a prospective clinical trial conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories (n=20).

1. The results presented at EUHA are based on clinical study conducted by Western University (Canada). EssilorLuxottica Data on file 2025.
2. The results presented at EUHA are based on clinical study conducted by the National Acoustic Laboratories (Australia). EssilorLuxottica Data on file, 2025.
3. World Health Organization, World Report on Hearing, 2021, p. 40.