Very small hearing aids, called Completely-In-Canal (CIC) have been around for quite some time now. They are discrete, fit snugly in the entrance of the ear canal and have suited most people who have used them rather well.

Today, there have been significant advancements in hearing aid technology and miniaturization, which has allowed making even smaller hearing aids possible.

A number of products have emerged on the market promoting their invisible deep insertion hearing aids. At the time of this article, two products have stood out in the marketplace:

The Starkey SoundLens (formerly called OtoLens), and the Phonak Lyric.

These new types of hearing aids are often referred to by professionals as Invisible-In-Canal (IIC) hearing aids or deep insertion hearing aids.

On the left is the Starkey SoundLens, on the right is the Phonak Lyric.

There are pro’s and con’s to each hearing aid, but it is safe to say that this type of hearing aid is not for everyone. Those who have; small ears, surgically altered ears, perforated eardrums, profound hearing losses, especially waxy or wet ears and ears with any potential for fungal growth, should potentially look for alternatives when seeking options for amplification.

The SoundLens features the following technology   100% digital technology100% programmable for your hearing lossVoice IQ noise reduction (cleans up the sound to preserve speech sounds)Fits mild to severe hearing lossesCustom-made for your earPureWave Feedback eliminator (prevents whistling)T2 Remote (allows you to use a touch-tone phone to make adjustments to the hearing aid)Removable from ear by the user on daily basisAssistive Devices Program eligible (government funding for Ontario)

The Lyric features the following technology   Natural sound qualityFits mild to moderately severe hearing lossesInstant fit (walk out of the office with your hearing aid the same day as your consultation depending on your eligibility)24/7 (you leave this hearing aid in your ear all the time)Yearly subscription based hearing aid *Not Assistive Devices Program eligible (government funding for Ontario) * you buy a year’s worth of hearing aids and approximately every 120 days, you need to get a new device installed in your ear by your hearing care professional

The diagram below shows the placement in the ear canal and compares the CIC to the deep insertion hearing aid in depth and size.

It is simple to see why the deep insertion hearing aids would be more discrete than a CIC.