Bluetooth Noise-Canceling Headphones Improve the Quality of Ophthalmic Exams in Patients With Hearing Loss: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: This study tests the utilization of Bluetooth noise-canceling headphones in improving the quality of eye exams in patients with hearing loss. This prospective study was approved on ethical standards by the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) Institutional Review Board (Approval No. 22-0079) and registered with the National Institutes of Health (NCT05420038).

Methods: UTMB patients above 55 years of age were screened for hearing loss using soundcheck audiometry. Twenty-nine subjects answered pre-recorded ophthalmic exam questions that solicited precise responses. As controls, subjects were randomly administered half of the questions via headphones and half via a smartphone at normal speech volume (60 decibels). Points were awarded for responses demonstrating comprehension, and a post-exam survey was collected.

Results: Collectively, the mean score was 1.79 with headphones versus 0.96 with control on the Amsler grid segment and 1.90 with headphones versus 0.97 with control on education questions (p=0.001). Between red zone and yellow zone hearing loss patients, the more severe red zone group answered significantly better in both Amsler (1.78 versus 0.50; p=0.0003) and education questions (1.88 versus 0.44; p<0.0001) with headphones. The yellow zone group answered better with headphones overall but failed to reach significance. Post-exam survey indicated that 28 of 29 patients (97%) preferred the headphones during ophthalmic exams.

Conclusion: Patients with hearing loss demonstrated better comprehension with Bluetooth headphones. These low-cost devices show great promise at improving effective, compassionate communication between providers and hearing loss patients.