OPEN FIT BENEFITS....
Open Fit Hearing Aids are called Open-Fit because they leave the ear canal open. They do not block or occlude the ear canal. There are many advantages to this basic concept. So why hasn't this been done before? Well, the open fit concept is not necessarily brand new. It's been around for sometime. The reason it has become popular now is the advancements in feedback cancellation systems. So what's feedback? Feedback is that annoying buzzing or whistling of a hearing aid. Feedback occurs when a sound is amplified and then reamplified. Much like holding a microphone in front of a speaker. This happens to a hearing aid when sound is amplified and then the sound "feeds back" into the microphone through a vent in the aid. It also happens when sound leaks through the ear canal and hearing aid back into the microphone. It can be very annoying and embarrassing for the wearer. Feedback cancellation systems reduce or eliminate the threat of feedback. This feature allows the ear canal to be remain open. The threat of feedback is drastically reduced or even eliminated.
Natural Sound Quality - Eliminates Hollow SoundOpen Fit Hearing Instruments eliminate the "barrel effect" or hollow sound often associated with custom fit hearing aids. To understand how custom fit hearing aids sound. Put your fingers in your ears and then begin to talk. Doesn't sound very good. By leaving the ear canal open, you eliminate this sensation. You'll be able to hear the sounds that you hear now the way you've always heard them. Only the sounds or frequencies that you have trouble hearing will be amplified. This allows for a clear, natural sound.
Cosmetically Pleasing - Virtually InvisibleI think that when you say the word "hearing aid" most people have a vision of their grandfather with a large full shell hearing aid protruding from his ear. And you probably are picturing him fiddling with the volume control.
Virtually all open fit hearing instruments fit neatly behind the ear. They have a thin transparent tube or wire that fits into the ear canal. I have fit patients with this type of aid. The spouse is sitting in the chair next to them. The husband or wife knows that they are wearing an instrument. But they absolutely can not see the aid. Many patients come into my office and tell me "I don't care what it looks like, I just want to hear"! And I'm sure that that is true. But the vast majority wants it to look good too. Or better yet, not see it at all. I don't blame them one bit. It doesn't matter how old we are. We never want to feel older than what we really are. I believe that's why we are seeing much younger people wearing this type of instrument. People of all ages have hearing loss. If more people get help for their hearing because hearing aids look better, that's a good thing.
Here Today.....Hear TomorrowUnlike many traditional hearing aids, Open Fit Hearing Instruments do not require the time consuming process of making custom ear molds. There are no impressions to make. You don't have to wait a week or two to receive your aids from the lab.
Most hearing care practitioners can fit you the same day that you were tested. I generally stock a minimum of three or four different instruments. The worst case senario, I'll order the instruments from the manufacturer. They'll ship same day and I'll have them in a day or two.
I think that this is a tremendous benefit for the patient. You can "test drive" the device right in our office. We can also simulate "real world" activities such as eating in a noisy restaurant. Hear how they sound while driving in your car with simulation software and surround sound speaker system. It's about as close as you can get to the "real world". What about reliability?The worst enemies of a hearing aid are ear wax and moisture. When ear wax gets inside your hearing aid it can cause big problems. The wax will block the opening of the aid. What do most people do when this happens? They change the battery. Turn the aid on...it's still dead. When the wax is removed, the aid works again.Over time, this takes a toll on hearing aids. This can result in a costly repair. Or worse yet, replacement.
With the Open Fit Hearing Aids, the components of the device are actually outside the ear...behind the ear. Away from wax and moisture. Service issues are far fewer than traditional style devices.
Some open fit instruments have the receiver fit inside the aid. Wax and moisture could affect the receiver. This repair can be done easily right in the office and is much less expensive.
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