Thanks to his new glasses from VA, Korean War Navy Veteran Walter Crites can have interesting conversations once again.
About 25 years ago, Crites, a 91-year-old patient at Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS), lost almost all his hearing after complications from multiple surgeries.
He received a cochlear implant, an electronic device that allows some deaf people to hear, but it failed after about 15 years and could not be replaced due to various health concerns.
For the past decade, having any form of conversation was a real challenge for Crites.
“I had to carry a steno pad and plenty of pens just to communicate,” he said. “My wife has been tested to the extreme.”
Crites eventually started using speech-to-text on his phone to understand what people were saying to him, but it still wasn’t ideal.
“The problem with that is you’re constantly looking at your phone, so you’re not as engaged in a conversation,” said Dr. Darla Gilder, Crites’s audiologist at NAVAHCS.
Caption glasses
In early 2024, Crites heard about caption glasses, which use augmented reality to display real-time captions in the field of view of the wearer. He started asking if he could get a pair through VA.
Dr. Gilder had been reading about the new glasses as well, and began working to get Crites a pair.
The technology was so new, however, that VA was still testing it. Finally, Crites became the first Veteran at NAVAHCS to receive caption glasses in April 2025.
“It’s going to make life a whole lot simpler,” Crites said when he received them. “It’s funny, I’m getting glasses from the hearing department!”
“It’s amazing how fast and accurate the captioning is,” Dr. Gilder said.
While the average consumer would need to pay about $5,000 for the device, Crites and his fellow Veterans who are enrolled in VA health care pay nothing.
“All devices through VA that assist with hearing loss are free for the Veterans,” Dr. Gilder said.
To be eligible for caption glasses, Veterans need to have a severe hearing disability or handicap that can’t be properly assisted by other available options such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Crites said that his proactive approach to improving his health and wellbeing is the reason he got the glasses as soon as he did.
“You have to take the initiative for your health,” he added.
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Will this be available for spouses of veterans?
I am interested in the glasses. It would help to not asking people talking to me to keep from repeating themselves. Thank You
I am interested in the glasses. It would help to not asking people talking to me to keep from repeating themselves.
Are these available at all veterans facilities?
Do you have to had qualified for a military disability in order to get glasses or hearing aids from the VA?
Can any vet honorably discharged get?
That’s amazing. I never thought of receiving glasses from ortho. I’d like to try because i am losing my hearing yearly. i also have been wearing glasses since i was 3 yrs old. Great job to the va and all involved
I have a severe tinnitus problem on my left ear, and it’s very difficult for me to understand certain words, the white qualify for this Service?
That is wonderful. So happy that he can communicate effectively. He deserves any assistance he needs. Please thank him for his service.
Great, and in the meantime Vets are being told they have to wait over a year for a brain scan after being referred by their Doctor because the Doctor believes the Vet had a mild stroke! When will the VA get their priorities straight!
i have earing problems and vision that work for me,i very interest
Outstanding!
I have a brother-in-law who is service-connected and utilizes hearing aids; however, in a group setting with multiple conversations going on, he has a hard time and gets discouraged. Recently, he has been finding excuses not to return to the group, but I suspect it is more sound-related than being busy. I’m going to share this article with him with the hopes that maybe this might encourage him to speak to his Audiologist if glasses of this type might help.
Thank you.
That’s what I need I only have 4% in my right ear and 12 to 15% in my left I need to talk to my audiologist about these
Oh my Lord!!! That is just awesome!!! Just to think that so many brothers and sister veterans are going to be able to have “normal” conversations with anyone thanks to this technology breakthrough is just incredible!!! Praise the Lord!!!
I have been declared 100% disabled due t bilateral hearing loss. I would like to know if I would be eligible to get these glasses ?
This is a wonderful article.
Working in maintenance for over 35 years, around jet aircraft running engines plus power equipment, my hearing is bad and getting worse.
I do not want in invasive ear implant. So who do I convince that I want to try the caption glasses?
Are they available
I have no hearing in one ear, wear a hearing aid in the other.
I have a BAHA on one side.
Would I be a candidate for the new caption eyeglasses?
Terrific this would be something that I cause when I am in a group I get lost in th conversations. Also when priest is saying the Sermon I forget what he’s saying. It is difficult for person not to have conversations with others.
Terrific article, hearing aids certainly provided audio access to previously muted sounds – BUT! hearing aides amplify everything, therefor making it extremely challenging to decipher conversations with others in an environment where there is a high volume of ambient noise, large crowds and or music – I hope, I can qualify for a pair of caption glasses. At 76 years old, there is no consideration of retiring and these would be a game changer!
Hopefully, this new program and entitlement would not be abused by some Veterans. Thought I have hearing issues and vision issues myself, I’m, not fully qualified for the entitlement. However. I am glad that hose Veterans requiring the glasses be provided assistance. We can only hope that the VA in general would not engage in bogus (you don’t qualify) discriminatory practices against our Veteran’s when they show up for assistance.
As I read the information is for vets that are really in need of the Glasses; as per note below:
NOTE: To be eligible for caption glasses, Veterans need to have a severe hearing disability or handicap that can’t be properly assisted by other available options such as hearing aids or cochlear implants.
Thought I have hearing issues and vision issues myself.
I think I need a pair, as I received a GSW to the right side of my head and ear, (Vietnam). The VA hearing aids, seem to amplify the sound okay, however, it does not help me understand what is being said.
The VA is always looking out for their members
Where are these available
The hearing in my right ear seems to be getting worse. How would one go about getting a pair of these glasses?? Also my eye sight seems to be getting worse in the Right Eye
I NEED THOSE GLASSES I’M HEARING IMPAIRED…THANK YOU!!!
Fantastic for all you Veterans…
This article caught my eye (the good one(
And reading about these hearing aids which I first got my old pair got in 2017 and well I need an update –
I need to go see and hear your Audio hearing department now but because of my heart attacks and a very extensive Cardio Angiogram procedure a few weeks ago I need to call my local LONG BEACH VA medical center to get tested.
These are the good articles we veterans need to read about.
Thank you, David H
Working in maintenance around jet aircraft running engines and power equipment almost as noisy, my hearing is bad and getting worse. Im not convinced the ear implant is the way I want to go. So who do I convince that I want to try the caption glasses?
Interesting technology, I hope many hearing-deprived veterans find it helpful.
This is fantastic! My father was a Korean era Army veteran. He was completely deaf in one ear and used a hearing aid, so so results, in the other ear. He wasn’t completely deaf, so I can’t imagine your situation. All the best wishes to you. I’m so glad this technology has helped improve your life.