Look after your hearing and vision

How do hearing and vision affect brain health?

Untreated hearing or vision loss can lead to social isolation, reduced brain stimulation, and increased dementia risk.

What can we do to reduce this risk?

Even small changes can make a big difference:

✔ Get regular hearing and eye tests

✔ Use hearing aids or glasses if prescribed

✔ Avoid loud noises and protect your ears in noisy environments

✔ Wear sunglasses in bright conditions

What support is available in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire?

Hearing Loss - NHS

Hearing loss is common, particularly as we get older, and can affect communication, confidence, social connections, and overall wellbeing. The NHS Hearing Loss resource provides trusted information about the signs, causes, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing loss, as well as advice on when to seek professional help.

Opticians and sight tests - NHS

Regular eye tests can help detect changes in vision and identify eye conditions at an early stage, supporting both eye health and overall wellbeing. The NHS Opticians and Sight Tests service helps you find local opticians, access NHS-funded sight tests if you are eligible, and learn about support with the cost of glasses or contact lenses.

ADVIS sight impairment support

The Adult Deaf and Visual Impairment Service (ADVIS) offers specialist rehabilitation and support for adults with hearing and sight loss, helping people develop practical skills, access assistive technology, and maintain confidence and independence in everyday activities.

My Sight Nottinghamshire

My Sight Nottinghamshire supports people living with sight loss through practical advice, assistive technology, emotional support, employment services, and social activities. Their services help people adapt to sight loss, build confidence, and maintain independence.

Local support groups - Macular Society

The Macular Society’s Local Support Groups webpage helps people living with macular disease and sight loss find local and online support groups across the UK. The groups provide a friendly and supportive environment where individuals, their families and carers can share experiences, access information, build confidence, and connect with others who understand the challenges of sight loss.

Hear2Help hearing aid support

Free, local support for people using NHS hearing aids across Nottinghamshire. Through regular drop-in clinics, trained volunteers offer hearing aid maintenance, troubleshooting, cleaning, re-tubing, battery replacement, and practical advice to help people get the most from their hearing aids.

Deaf-initely Women

Deaf-initely Women is a charity led by deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing women that offers support, advocacy, training and wellbeing activities for women aged 16 and over across Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and beyond. It runs events and workshops to reduce isolation and build confidence, skills and independence.

Royal National Institute for Deaf people (RNID)

RNID's free online hearing check is a quick three-minute speech-in-noise test for adults that indicates whether you might have hearing loss and suggests next steps. It is not a diagnostic test, but it can guide you to seek GP or NHS audiology assessment if needed.

Services supporting sight on Your Notts Directory

Find services and information about support for people with sight loss.

Information for professionals

• When appropriate, ask about hearing and vision checks. Inform service users that free NHS hearing and eye tests are available for eligible groups.
• Refer to audiology or optometry services when needed.
• Encourage use of hearing aids and glasses to reduce cognitive strain