I’m amazed at how deaf face masks have made me

[Wishingforanotherlife]

And I don’t mean that the person isn’t speaking loudly enough. I realise that when I’m listening to someone I’m reading their facial expressions and must also be lip reading to some degree too. I’m sure I read somewhere that 7% of f2f communication is the actual spoken words.

Reminds me of when watching the Swedish Girls with Dragon Tattoo films. I could watch them with sub titles but not if they’d been dubbed into English - it messed with my head.

Just random thoughts that flit in and out of my brain in this weird Covid existence

I have an auditory processing disorder. I was deaf as a child before having corrective surgery age 4.

My hearing is completely normal now, but apparently those early years are key and my brain has wired itself to using other pathways- i can’t filter ambient sound so have to lip read to understand unless it’s completely quiet.

Only figured it out when I got glasses and realised I can’t hear without them.

So yes, masks are a nightmare. Botox and lip fillers also.

I'm struggling with it too. I'm starting to think I've inherited the family curse of early hearing loss (teens onwards) and I don't realise how much I've been compensating using lip reading. I pretty much always use the subtitles on the tv - I thought that was just a habit from growing up with a deaf parent, but sometimes I struggle to hear what's being said without them on

I have always struggled to hear speach without my glasses on. People think its hilarious if they ask me to remove my glasses and I say ' yes but i wont be able to hear you' they always say ' dont you mean see?' Its places like swimming, hair dressers, doctors. Yet i can hear cat scarers and a lorry on the A road 2 miles away.
So the mask thing hasnt surprised me.

@JustMeAndMyTins

The comments about masks and sunglasses making it hard to hear are amazing. When we were studying musical theatre years ago, my friend had to take her big earrings out to sing.

I think everyone has a lot of cross-sense things going on - like turning the car radio down or off when looking for a house number. Some are just a bit more common than others

I find I lose my balance when wearing a mask, for example, going down steps is nerve racking.

Me too, have to reach for handrail etc, so touching things more than usual

I wonder why??

@MillieEpple

I have always struggled to hear speach without my glasses on. People think its hilarious if they ask me to remove my glasses and I say ' yes but i wont be able to hear you' they always say ' dont you mean see?' Its places like swimming, hair dressers, doctors. Yet i can hear cat scarers and a lorry on the A road 2 miles away. So the mask thing hasnt surprised me.

Same here - most of my family wears glasses and none of us can hear properly without them on. Throw in varifocals and I can't see where I'm putting my feet either, because the mask cuts off that bit of my vision.

I think wearing a mask changes your face shape which in turn may change the way your voice sounds to others (as well as the muffling effect), but also may slightly change your vision. I too have to use handrails on stairs more than usual.

I've always struggled in noisy environments to hear people speaking. A deaf friend once pointed out that I lip read and I hadn't even realised. I'm finding masks really hard.

Yes @LemonRedwood I am one of those people who turns down the car radio when I need to concentrate!