Smart glasses tackle vision and hearing loss

Popular Science recently spent time at EssilorLuxottica, the company behind brands like Ray-Ban and Oakley, touring its Milan headquarters and later a summit in Orlando. The takeaway: the technology inside modern frames is as important as the style on the outside.

At the company's Digital Factory in Milan, trend teams study demographics, fashion and even interior design to predict frame shapes up to two years before they reach stores. Nina Esteves, senior trend and foresight manager, showed how AI and 3D printing allow for more radical silhouettes, from revived ovals to sci-fi cat-eyes.

Lens technology has also evolved. Transitions Gen S lenses shift from clear to dark in about 25 seconds and back in under two minutes, using reactive molecules that block UV and filter blue light. The lenses come in eight hues, so they can match or contrast with frames. A variant called XTRActive adds dynamic polarization.

Progressive lenses have come a long way from the old bifocal stigma. EssilorLuxottica creates digital twins of each wearer: a virtual replica built from prescription, pupil measurements, age, head movements and lifestyle. These models simulate how the brain perceives sharpness and distortion with different Varilux progressive lenses. The XR Series uses an Eye-Ruler to measure how a person holds their phone and shifts their gaze, then behavioral AI aligns the lenses to those habits.

Perhaps the most intriguing development is Nuance Audio, glasses that double as an over-the-counter hearing aid. First introduced in April 2025 at around $1,000, they amplify sound within a 30-degree cone when facing someone, or in 360-degree mode for broader awareness. They target mild to moderate hearing loss and include background noise reduction. At the March 2026 SWITCH summit in Orlando, actress Jane Lynch described how her father resisted traditional hearing aids but accepted the "adorable" Nuance glasses. Lynch herself now uses them for hidden hearing loss.

The company also released Nuance Audio Plus, starting at $829, in three styles and five colors, with improved audio, battery life and controls. Both Nuance and Ray-Ban Meta glasses require careful engineering to fit flat electronic components into curved frames. Matteo Battiston, chief design officer, told Popular Science that the goal is for connected devices to "be beautiful glasses first."

For the most engaged users, prescription lenses and Transitions are common add-ons. Ray-Ban Meta Optics now support a wider prescription range, with hinges that rotate an extra 10 degrees and adjustable temple tips. "We haven't been able to do flex electronics, but we have been flexible," Federico Buffa, chief R&D officer, told the publication.

The hearing-loss angle carries weight beyond convenience. Dr. Charlotte Yeh presented data at SWITCH showing that about 73 million Americans have hearing loss, but fewer than a third seek help. Untreated loss can lead to loneliness and, according to a 2024 Lancet Commission, contribute to dementia. Devices like Nuance Audio, by hiding help in something people already wear, may reduce that gap.

• EssilorLuxottica
• hearing loss
• Nuance Audio
• smart glasses
• Transitions
• Varilux