Hearing Aid technology

Open Ear Technology

If you use hearing aids and you notice:

Feeling down in a well or barrel sound
Hearing yourself chewing
Plugged sensation

The discrete open ear aids feature improved sound quality, processing and comfort.

Open Fit Hearing Aids: An Overview
Open fit hearing aids are extremely small and nearly invisible to an observer. Essentially, open ear hearing aids are small units that sit up on top of and behind your ear. There is no earmold to occlude the ear canal when open fit hearing aids are worn - a thin wire or tube delivers the sound to the ear canal, but is so small it leaves the canal open. Open fit digital hearing aids are also lightweight - many users find that after a few minutes of wearing them, they cannot feel them at all.

There are two types of open ear hearing aids, acoustic thin tube open fit and speaker-in the ear (SIE) hearing aids. The acoustic thin tube hearing aid incorporates all of the electronic components in the plastic case behind the ear. The sound then travels down the acoustic thin tube into the ear canal. The SIE hearing aid moves the speaker from the plastic case down into the sound tip of the acoustic thin tube, thus requiring less gain at the ear level to produce the same output in the canal. SIE hearing aids are appropriate for both a sloping high frequency hearing loss as well as a wide range hearing loss. Also, because the sound does not have to travel down a thin tube, the quality of the signal is improved.

Open Ear Hearing Aids: Pros and Cons
The biggest benefit to open fit digital hearing aids is that they minimize occlusion (the stuffed up feeling). Open ear hearing aids are ideal for those who have normal low frequency hearing but who are experiencing problems with high frequencies - which usually occurs with early hearing loss. They are also easier to fit because they are not custom made, unlike many in the ear hearing aids. Although they utilize the latest technology, open ear hearing aids should not cost much more than standard hearing aids and may even cost less.

If you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment, call us at (216) 642-8228, or fill out the contact us form, and we'll be in touch with you as soon as possible.