Hearing and eyesight both change gradually after 50, and the tools that help, hearing aids and prescription glasses, are among the biggest out-of-pocket health costs older adults face. Original Medicare does not cover hearing aids or routine eyeglasses, so most people pay for them directly. Membership benefits help close that gap, with hearing aid discounts for seniors and money off frames, lenses and extra pairs at well-known optical stores.
Why These Costs Add Up
A pair of prescription hearing aids is a significant purchase, and many people put it off for years because of the price, even though untreated hearing loss can make conversations, phone calls and social life harder. Glasses bring their own costs: progressive lenses, coatings, a spare pair for reading and prescription sunglasses for driving. Because a prescription can change every year or two, these are recurring expenses rather than one-off buys, which is exactly where a steady member saving pays off.
Hearing Care
Hearing Care by Soundly
This program helps members shop for and compare hearing aids, with savings on both prescription devices and over-the-counter options. It includes a free hearing exam and a 60-day trial on prescription hearing aids, so you can wear them in everyday life before deciding. For anyone unsure where to start, the guided comparison takes much of the confusion out of the choice.
Hearing Solutions Provided by UnitedHealthcare Hearing
Members can save up to 50% on prescription hearing aids and up to $200 on over-the-counter hearing aids, plus a free hearing exam. The offer cannot be combined with other discounts or insurance plans, so compare it with any coverage you already have and choose whichever saves more.
Vision Care
When it is time for new lenses, these senior eyeglasses discounts cover the three most common needs: a full new pair, a second pair and multifocal lenses.
LensCrafters
Members get 20% off frames plus 50% off prescription lenses when buying a complete pair, along with 30% off non-prescription sunglasses. The lens discount matters most for premium options such as progressives and anti-glare coatings, which make up a large share of the price. Many locations also have an eye doctor on site, so you can book an eye exam and choose new frames in the same visit.
Target Optical
Members save 50% on additional complete pairs of prescription glasses or sunglasses, plus an extra $10 off frames, lenses, glasses or contact lenses (contacts need a minimum of two boxes). It is the natural choice when you want a spare pair by the bed or prescription sunglasses for the car.
Visionworks
Members take $200 off a complete pair with single vision lenses, or $250 off a complete pair with multifocal lenses. A minimum purchase applies. For bifocal and progressive wearers, this flat saving is one of the strongest offers available.
Getting the Most From the Benefit
Start with the free hearing exam, since knowing your results makes it far easier to compare devices and prices. If you already have glasses you like, the extra-pair offer can turn one purchase into two at a much lower total, giving you a spare for the garden or the car. Multifocal wearers should compare the flat dollar saving with the percentage offers, because on premium lenses the flat amount often wins. Keep receipts and prescriptions together, so the next upgrade is quick, and check whether any vision or hearing coverage you already hold can be used alongside a member offer or works better on its own.
Signs It May Be Time for a Check
- You often ask people to repeat themselves, especially in busy rooms.
- The TV volume creeps up and others comment on it.
- Reading menus or labels needs more light or holding them further away.
- Night driving feels harder because of glare.
- Your last eye exam was more than two years ago.
Hear and See Life More Clearly
AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit for people aged 50 and over, and its health benefits are among the most valuable it offers members. Alongside hearing and vision savings, members get discounts on travel, dining and everyday services that add up across the year.
Booking a hearing test or an eye exam is the first step, and the member savings above make the next step, new hearing aids or glasses, far easier on the budget. With eye care discounts over 50 and hearing aid savings in one membership, it is easier to keep both senses in good shape.
Become a member and book that check-up you have been putting off.
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