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Ratings of Primary Care Doctors, Specialists, and Surgeons
Ratings of Hospitals
Symptoms of Hearing Loss
If you are hearing less than you used to, you’re not alone. About 10 percent of Americans have some hearing loss, and the figure is more than 30 percent for persons over age 65.
Types of Hearing Loss
Hearing loss is extremely common. It can be a normal part of the aging process and, for many, an inevitable result of living in a noisy society. There are two primary types of hearing loss: sensorineural loss and conductive loss.
Before Buying Any Hearing Aid, Get Evaluated
Suspect you have hearing loss? First rule out medical problems that can be treated without hearing aids by consulting a physician or independent audiologist.
Take Charge of Your Healthcare
Take charge by selecting the best doctors and other providers and making decisions about your medical care. Here's how.
How to Find the Best Doctors
The most important thing you can do to assure yourself high-quality medical care is to form a strong relationship with a good primary care physician and, at times, together make informed decisions on specialty care.
Does It Matter If Your Doctor Is Board Certified?
We advise consumers to select physicians who are “board certified,” and we report on board certification status in our ratings tables. We describe here what board certification means and why it is important.
Which Eyewear Stores Are the Best?
Our ratings of eyewear outlets reveal sizeable differences in customer satisfaction.
Where to Find the Best Prices on Glasses and Contacts
We found that some stores charge far higher prices as their competitors for identical eyeglass frames and lenses. For contacts (with exam and fitting), price differences were even larger.
Is the Market for Eyeglasses Frames Gamed?
You'll find thousands of choices of eyeglasses frames. But in actuality, much of this variety is an illusion: The eyewear market is dominated by the Italian Luxottica Group.
Should You Get LASIK Surgery? What Can Go Wrong?
Ads from LASIK surgery outfits promise that the procedure is “a permanent solution for vision correction.” “Make corrective eyewear a thing of the past.” And “over 98 percent of patients are totally satisfied.” Unfortunately, those claims stretch the truth.
Are You a Good Candidate for LASIK?
LASIK won’t help some types of vision problems, and it’s inappropriate for some people.
How to Find a LASIK Surgeon
Find out how much experience prospective surgeons have. Experience is very important. Meet with surgeons and ask about their success rates with patients with conditions like yours.
