Product Ranges

There are TWO types of DIGITAL Hearing Instruments:

• Non-Programmable
• Programmable

Non-Programmable Buying a Non-Progammable Instrument is rather like buying a pair of glasses. Our Audiometric Tests will establish your "Prescription" and we will take "Impressions" of your ear/s. Both the Impressions and the Prescription are then sent to the Laboratories and the Hearing Instrument is custom made to fit your Ear and a suitable "circuit matrix" is selected to fit your Hearing. You can usually regulate the Volume via a Volume Control (except CIC size which is too tiny for a Volume Control), The Prescription is fixed though (like glasses) and if your Hearing subsequently deteriorates to the extent where you can no longer hear with the Instrument, a new Instrument will be required. However, most users will get around 5 years of good use from a Non-Programmable Instrument before having to think of changing it.This type of Digital Instrument is the least expensive - from £299 from SCOTIA HEARING - but other retailers may charge 3 times that price or more or perhaps not even mention them at all! We give YOU the choice!

Programmable Again we take Impressions of your ear/s and the Instrument is manufactured to that Impression. This type of Instrument is NOT made to prescription though - the Prescription is instead PROGRAMMED into the Instrument via a computer. This means that should your prescription change over the years, the Instrument can be re-programmed to take account of that fact and will then respond differently because your needs have changed. In addition, Programmable Instruments can be Automatic - just place in your ear and it will do the rest! With Programmable Digital Instruments you can have extra features such as multi-memories, directional microphones, anti-feedback measures and noise management systems. All designed to help you hear more clearly in a variety of situations.

No One Need Know!

With either processing system there are many different sizes of aid. The day of the unattractive bulky hearing aid has gone and no-one need know that you wear an instrument.

There are three main In-The-Ear styles:

Full Shell Full Shell style fills the entire "bowl" of the ear. What you see is the entire aid; there are no tubes or anything behind the ear.

Canal Canal style fills approximately one third of the ear. It is discreet fitting and easy to handle.

CIC CIC stands for Completely In The Canal. With this instrument there is virtually nothing to be seen at all!

Options Available

The ideal style for you will be a combination of what you need (from our tests), what you want for your own comfort and ease of use, and what is POSSIBLE - the size or shape of your Ear/s may affect the choices available. Your Hearing Aid Audiologist will go through the options available to you.