July 28, 2023 — EssilorLuxottica has announced its expansion into the hearing solutions market, driven by a dedicated “Super Audio” team, in-house research and development resources, and its 100% acquisition of Israeli startup Nuance.
 
According to the company, the hearing solutions market is underpenetrated for similar reasons as vision care, including the visibility of traditional hearing aids, discomfort, and price. In 2021, a study from the World Health Organization found there is an 83% service gap.
 
EssilorLuxottica’s first product will embed hearing technology into eyewear, effectively removing a psychological barrier that consumers face with traditional hearing aids.
 
“While sight remains our core business—and growing the optical market our strategy—we are uniquely positioned to open up a new avenue for the industry by addressing the need for good hearing with innovative technologies,” says Francesco Milleri, chairman and CEO, and Paul du Saillant, deputy CEO at EssilorLuxottica. “Our proprietary hardware and software, combined with our design and manufacturing capabilities, will enable us to pair hearing solutions and prescription glasses into one groundbreaking product, and to bring it to market everywhere through our open network model.”