Best Hearing Aids With Glasses: Style, Routine and a Fitting Check

AudiologyOctober 13, 20268 min read

Yes, most people can wear hearing aids with glasses comfortably. The best hearing aids with glasses are the ones that suit your hearing test results first, and then share the space behind your ear well with your glasses arms. That usually means looking at how much of the hearing aid sits behind the ear, how the glasses arm rests on it, and building a simple routine for putting both on and taking them off.

Glasses rarely rule out a hearing aid. They are, however, a practical detail worth mentioning at your appointment, because the audiologist can take them into account when choosing the style and checking the fit.

Why glasses matter when choosing hearing aids

The area on top of and behind the ear is shared. The glasses arm rests there, and so does the case of any behind-the-ear or receiver-in-canal hearing aid. When both compete for that space, a few things can happen:

The hearing aid can feel crowded or press against the skin, especially after several hours.
Taking off the glasses can pull the hearing aid off the ear with them.
The glasses arm can push the hearing aid out of position, which may shift the tip in the ear canal and affect the fit.
The glasses arm can sit over the hearing aid's microphone openings, which are best left uncovered.

None of these is a reason to avoid hearing aids. They are reasons to choose the style with your glasses in mind and to check the fit while you are wearing them.

Hearing aid styles and glasses

The styles below are those in our hearing aids catalogue. For a fuller explanation of each style, see our guide to hearing aid styles compared.

Completely-in-canal (CIC)

A CIC sits inside the ear canal, with nothing behind the ear, so it does not compete with glasses arms at all. In the catalogue, the CIC option is the KLAR family, which has two CIC models (XC3CIC and XC4CIC). The catalogue lists them with size 10 zinc-air batteries and a cabled fitting, and they are not wireless, so they do not offer Bluetooth streaming.

According to the US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), canal hearing aids are used for mild to moderately severe hearing loss, and their small size can make them harder to adjust and remove. Whether a CIC suits you depends on your test results and the shape of your ear canal. Our article on small and nearly invisible hearing aids covers discreet options in more detail.

Receiver-in-canal styles (RIC, MiniRIE and MicroRIE)

In these styles, a case sits behind the ear and a thin wire runs to a receiver in the ear canal. Because the receiver is in the ear, the part behind the ear holds less than a full behind-the-ear hearing aid, which many glasses wearers find easier to combine with glasses arms. The catalogue includes:

RIC models in KLAR, BARANI, Boreal, Brisa, Astro Core and Astro Pro.
MiniRIE models in Boreal.
MicroRIE models in Brisa and Astro Pro. Danavox describes Brisa as the "smallest rechargeable RIE style" and Astro Pro as the "smallest AI hearing aid in the world"; these are the manufacturer's own statements.

Behind-the-ear (BTE)

The whole hearing aid sits behind the ear and sound travels to the ear through a hook or tube and a tip or earmould. BTE hearing aids take up more room alongside glasses arms, but NIDCD notes they are used for mild to profound hearing loss, so they are often the right choice when more power is needed. The catalogue includes Mini BTE (BARANI), Standard BTE, Power BTE and Super Power BTE models across several families.

If your test points to a BTE, glasses are still very manageable. The fit check described below matters more in that case.

Putting on and taking off glasses and hearing aids

A steady routine prevents most problems. Many glasses wearers find this order works well, but your audiologist may suggest a different one for your style:

Put your glasses on first. Settle them in their usual position.
Then put on the hearing aid. Lift the glasses arm slightly and place the hearing aid behind the ear, with the glasses arm resting comfortably beside or over it, as your audiologist showed you.
Check the tip or receiver in the ear. Make sure it is fully in place and has not been pushed out.
When taking glasses off, hold the hearing aid. Lift the glasses away gently with one hand while keeping the hearing aid in place with the other.
Take the hearing aid off before cleaning or swapping glasses. This avoids dropping it, for example over a sink.

If you switch between reading glasses and distance glasses, or put sunglasses on outdoors, repeat the quick check each time.

The fitting check with your glasses

Bring the glasses you wear most, and any other pair you use often, to your appointment. During the Danavox hearing aid fitting, the audiologist can:

Check the hearing aid's position with your glasses on, and that the glasses arm does not cover the microphones or push the hearing aid out of place.
Choose a receiver, tip or tube length that sits securely with your glasses.
Show you the on-and-off routine, and let you practise it.
Review comfort at follow-up visits, once you have worn both together for some time.

Your optician may also be able to adjust the shape of the glasses arms, which sometimes helps. If you notice whistling when you put your glasses on or take them off, mention it at your follow-up; our article on hearing aid whistling explains common causes.

Signs the fit needs a review

After a few weeks of wearing both, mention any of these at your follow-up visit rather than putting up with them:

Soreness or redness behind the ear where the glasses arm and the hearing aid rest.
The hearing aid falling off more than once when you take your glasses off or bend down.
Sound seeming weaker or different with your glasses on, and returning when you take them off.
Whistling that happens whenever you adjust your glasses.

Many of these are solved with a small change, such as a different tip, tube length or way of placing the hearing aid. The audiologist relies on what you report from daily life to adjust the fit.

Other features glasses wearers ask about

Rechargeable or batteries: Changing small batteries is one more task near the glasses arm. Several catalogue families include rechargeable models, which go into a charger instead.
Controls: Many models list a push button or toggle. Check that you can reach it easily with your glasses on.
Remote control: According to Danavox, the remote control changes programs and volume with large buttons on compatible hearing aids, which can help if pressing a small button behind the ear is awkward.

Frequently asked questions

Can I wear hearing aids with glasses?

Yes. Most people wear both without difficulty. Choosing a style that shares the space behind the ear well, and checking the fit with your glasses at the fitting, makes it easier.

Which hearing aid style is easiest with glasses?

A completely-in-canal (CIC) hearing aid has nothing behind the ear, so it does not compete with glasses at all. However, it suits only some hearing losses and ear canals. Receiver-in-canal styles are often comfortable with glasses too. Your test results decide which styles are suitable.

Will my glasses affect how the hearing aid sounds?

They can if the glasses arm covers the microphones or pushes the hearing aid out of place. A fitting check with your glasses on helps avoid this.

Should I bring my glasses to the hearing aid appointment?

Yes. Bring the pairs you wear most, so the audiologist can check the hearing aid's position and comfort with them.

Book an appointment

To find a hearing aid that suits both your hearing and your glasses, book an appointment for a hearing test at Jordan Hearing & Speech in Bousher, Muscat. No referral is needed. Mention your glasses when booking, and bring them to the Danavox hearing aid fitting consultation.

Sources

NIDCD (NIH) — Hearing aids
Danavox product portfolio, as published in our hearing aids catalogue on this site.

This article is general information and does not replace advice from a qualified professional.

Hearing Aid Selection, Fitting, Programming & Follow-up