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Man's ear with discreet invisible hearing aid placed inside.

Invisible hearing aids

Modern hearing aids are more discreet than ever. There are now even hearing aids available which are almost invisible to the eye. These tiny hearing aids can give you a high-quality listening experience while being discreet.

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What are invisible hearing aids?

Invisible hearing aids sit inside your ear so that they are virtually invisible to the naked eye. More impressive still is the advanced digital technology that fits into such small devices.

Invisible hearing aids are custom-fitted to your ear canal – they have no external tubes or wires.

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What is the best invisible hearing aid?

One of the smallest invisible hearing aids is the invisible-in-the-canal (IIC) style. It fits completely inside the ear canal.

The Oticon Opn IIC is invisible in 8 out of 10 users' ears, offering excellent sound quality, but without compromising on the latest digital technology.

Invisible hearing aids: the pros and cons

Whether invisible hearing aids are right for you depends on a few things. The level of your hearing loss, the shape of your ear canal and your personal preferences about hearing aids are all factors you'll need to consider. 

Below is an overview of invisible hearing aids advantages and disadvantages that you'll have to weigh up.

 Advantages Disadvantages 
Small, discreet style  Shorter battery life 
Less likely to pick up wind noise  Controls are harder to see and feel 
More natural sound experience  Not suitable for all ear canal shapes 
No external tubes/wires Challenging to handle for those with limited dexterity
Custom-fitted (more comfortable for most users) No coordination possible between your two hearing aids 
  No Bluetooth® connectivity available
  Not available with rechargeable batteries 

What hearing aids are most discreet?

A close-up of a person’s ear visible on the right side, with short brown hair framing the ear; no visible hearing aid or associated text is present in the image. A close-up of a person’s ear visible on the right side, with short brown hair framing the ear; no visible hearing aid or associated text is present in the image.

Invisible-in-the-canal (IIC)

  • Adapts automatically to the sound environment
  • Discreet
  • Can be vulnerable to ear wax and moisture build-up
  • Is better for minimising wind noise (due to its position)
  • Does not have a directional microphone
  • Can be difficult to adjust from those with dexterity issues
The cropped image features a close-up of a human ear surrounded by light blond hair, with part of the face blurred. It appears in a hearing care-related context. The cropped image features a close-up of a human ear surrounded by light blond hair, with part of the face blurred. It appears in a hearing care-related context.

Completely -in-the-canal (CIC)

  • Very small and discreet
  • Practically invisible to other people
  • Custom-designed to fit discreetly in your ear canal
  • Option to manually control settings in different environments
  • Can be vulnerable to ear wax and moisture build-up
Invisible hearing aids in the canal Invisible hearing aids in the canal

In-the-canal (ITC)

  • Small and custom-made to fit in your ear canal
  • Discreet
  • Longer battery life than smaller models
  • Directional microphone enhances important sounds (like speech) and reduces background noise
  • Easy to insert and remove
A cyclist wearing a red jersey and black helmet, equipped with a hearing aid, interacts with another cyclist in a forested area. A detailed inset highlights the hearing aid design. A cyclist wearing a red jersey and black helmet, equipped with a hearing aid, interacts with another cyclist in a forested area. A detailed inset highlights the hearing aid design.

miniRITE

  • Suitable for most types of hearing loss
  • Smaller and less noticeable than traditional BTE hearing aids
  • Rechargeable battery options available
  • Able to connect to smart devices via Bluetooth
  • Often connected to a small dome for ventilation
Grace Sims, hearing care specialist with long blonde hair wearing a green blouse.
Grace Sims BSc, Audiologist and Mentor

Grace Sims completed her Bachelor of Science in Audiology at the University of Bristol and has previously worked in the ENT department at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. She joined Hidden Hearing in 2014 and is an audiologist at the Cheltenham clinic. She has been a practice educator for four years and is now a Hidden Hearing mentor. 

Sources

1. https://www.oticon.ca/professionals/products/hearing-aids/opn-ite

2, https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/52837-The-pros-and-cons-of-small-hearing-aids