Hearing aids without a prescription or an exam? The FDA takes big step toward making that happen.

[Sgent]

9. Yep

hearing loss can be caused by age or listening habits, but can also be caused by benign growths in the ear, brain tumors, meniures disease which can be somewhat treated, etc.

I view them somewhat like glasses -- 95% of the time your script doesn't change and there is nothing to be done, but you still need someone to look at your retinas and measure pressure to ensure badness isn't happening -- which is more likely in someone with mild to moderate hearing loss than no hearing loss.