CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A change in federal policy, which went into effect in mid-October, is making it easier for people to buy hearing aids.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now allowing hearing aids to be sold over-the-counter. The change should make hearing aids cheaper and more accessible, according to local experts.

However, those same experts and people whom already use hearing aids, said new users should be careful when deciding what items to buy.

“Over-the-counter was designed to have more accessibility to hearing aids and hearing health care for many Americans who could not afford hearing aids,” Julie Palazzolo said.

Palazzolo is a clinical audiologist at Charlotte Speech and Hearing and has been in the field since 1995.

“We hope that it will have a positive effect on the community, that more individuals will take an active role in their hearing health care,” Palazzolo added.

But, Palazzolo said the reduced cost of over-the-counter devices can have unintended consequences. Since they do not require a prescription, the devices might not be what customers actually need.

Hearing aid user LaSundra Johnson agreed, saying new users need to be careful.

“To me, it’s one of those things you get what you pay for. So, you know, they’re not set to your hearing. For instance, my left ear is worse than my right ear,” Johnson said.

Johnson has been using hearing aids for about two years now.

“I’ve been having hearing issues since I was a little girl. I went to hearing specialists to get my ears cleaned yearly,” Johnson said.

Over time, she realized the issue was worse than she thought.

“Say, for instance, school, I sit in the back of the class or on the side of class, and a lot of work that I missed out on, it wasn’t because I didn’t know it. It was that I didn’t hear what the teacher explained, her explanation of what to do, or the homework or whatever,” Johnson recalled.

Using help from Charlotte Speech and Hearing, Johnson received prescription hearing aids at a reduced cost, which can usually cost thousands of dollars.

Palazzolo said over-the-counter hearing aids will probably cost anywhere from $800 to $1,200, while prescriptions can range anywhere from $2,000 to $7,000.

Charlotte Speech and Hearing Executive Director Shannon Tucker said more and more patients are now asking about over-the-counter aids. Tucker said the policy change will give people more options, but he also urged caution.

“It’s very confusing. There’s a lot of options. It can be convenient to go in and buy something off the shelf, but then when you get home, being able to use it, to maximize the use of it, understand it, program it— that can be a challenge for a lot of individuals,” Tucker said.

The center is providing free sessions on Fridays to help people with hearing evaluations or adjusting over-the-counter aids. Tucker also warned customers to read the fine print on store-bought aids, saying they often are not returnable and do not have warranties.