COVID-19 Update: Check out our list of active sellers with current stock.

Everything was going smoothly when Dr. Anne McIntosh went into labor with her first baby. Overcoming the obstacles of her deafness, McIntosh leveraged her ability to lipread to communicate with her doctor, her husband, and the nurses that attended her labor. But more than 25 hours later, she was still in labor. And when her doctor determined a C-section was needed, she confronted a problem that many people with hearing loss experience in hospitals everyday.

Sudden isolation

When McIntosh was moved into the operating room, all there—the anesthesiologist, the delivery doctor, the nurses, and her husband—were required to wear full surgical garb. And all wore traditional mouth-concealing surgical masks. No longer able to read lips, McIntosh was completely cut off from the team providing her care.

It took several years, but the product she created in partnership with Prestige-America, The Communicator™ Clear Window Surgical Mask from Safe ‘n Clear, finally won FDA approval and hit the market at the end of 2017. The mask, with a simple clear plastic window that’s specially treated to reduce fogging, completely eliminates lipreading problems while providing FDA-approved ASTM Level 1 protection.

McIntosh felt The Communicator’s time had come. Patients and caregivers have become increasingly concerned about airborne pathogens. And use of surgical masks has become common, not just in the operating room, but for routine appointments in medical settings as well. McIntosh assumed that The Communicator mask was a clear case of “if you build it, they will come.” She launched the product and waited for the world to beat a path to her door.

Embracing change for better communication

“But that’s when the real work started,” she says. It turns out hospitals and the medical establishment are set in their ways and slow to embrace change. “Even when there are simple and seemingly obvious solutions to common problems, they just keep doing things the way they’ve always done them.”

McIntosh went door to door, demonstrating her mask in dozens of hospitals and medical practices. And when she got their attention, she found a receptive audience.

Alicia Booth of Designated Interpreters works in hospitals providing American Sign Language interpretation to help doctors and patients communicate more effectively. She says many caregivers have long wondered why such a mask wasn’t readily available.

“For many years we have been waiting for the approval of a clear mask to use in all hospitals,” she says. Once she and her colleagues tried the Safe’N’Clear mask, there was no turning back. “We really love it. It is a clear mask that does not fog, has FDA approval and can be used with patients or in the operating room.”

McIntosh isn’t concerned. She seeks collaboration, partnerships, alliances, education, and advocacy among companies and products with the goal being to break down barriers to communication, and to provide inclusion and accessibility for everyone.

“My goal is to see that the problem is solved. The more solutions that are available, the fewer patients there will be who have to experience the kind of helplessness and anxiety I did,” she says. “And if every hospital in the country decides to start using Communicator masks as a first option, there will be plenty of demand for products from us and others.”

Where to buy clear-window masks

Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, clear masks are in high demand. Safe n’ Clear is no longer taking orders for Communicator™ mask and some others are in “pre-order” mode. So what options do you have to purchase clear-window masks? We’ve scoured the web to find alternative options:

ClearMask

After some delay, the ClearMask™ is finally available through the Hearing Tracker Shop. We are extremely excited to finally stock the masks for those in need. Shipping and tax is included in the sale price, which is under $3 per mask. We also sell ClearMask by the case (432 masks).

Frigg's Handmade Masks

Portland-based business owner Lee Ann Moyer is selling hand-made lipreading masks through Make+Take Studio. Masks take 48-hours to turnaround + shipping time. Purchase the masks here.

The Hearing Spot

We found another clear mask producer based in Los Angeles, selling through thehearingspot.com. “These masks are made of 2 layers of 100% cotton sateen so they are soft while still being a tightly woven cotton. The clear vinyl window allows people to see what you're saying. The looped tie allows you to synch the side of the mask to fit your face shape so it limits the gaping on the sides.”

Do you sell clear-window masks?

If you are a producer, please send us details so we can add you to the list of sellers above. We have thousands of people visiting this page per week, and we are working to connect those in need with the existing sellers. Thank you!

How to make your own clear-window mask

Want to make your own clear-window mask? Thankfully ,there are a ton of sewing patterns available online to help. If you Google “how to make clear window mask” you will find resources with step-by-step instructions for purchasing the right materials, making initial fabric cuts, sewing, and window-insertion. Many of the how-to tutorials also advise treating the window with anti-fogging agents, like those used for swimming goggles and dive masks.

DIY reusable face mask with clear window (for the deaf and hard of hearing) | Maison Zizou

Tutorials for creating your own clear-window mask:

• Face Mask Adapted for Deaf, DeafBlind, and Hard of Hearing
• How to Make An Accessible, Deaf-Friendly Face Mask
• DIY Mask Patterns with Clear Panel for Deaf & Hard of Hearing