I have glasses and BTE hearing aids. It is not a problem. The bigger problem is wearing a mask, glasses and HA’s at the same time.
5 Likes
There’s nothing wrong with an ITE selection if it fits your lifestyle better. Yes, a few features might be missing compared to BTE, but functionality on a daily basis is what matters, and if an ITE works I wouldn’t worry about any extra features it might not have, as you may very well not need them. Given what you describe wearing at times, it sounds like the magnifying glasses will be the main item behind your ear with a BTE, but with a face shield and ear muffs you’ll certainly have to be more careful putting on and taking off all that stuff. You can do it, but it’s a valid concern.
As for batteries, rechargeables have their advantages, but honestly popping a battery in a HA is really no big deal. If you work on things I expect must be quite small (hence the magnifying glasses) a battery is no issue whatsoever to handle. They’re also cheap and readily available.
No single item/solution will ever be perfect and trade offs are made to meet your needs. That’s the important thing, does it work for you. I hope the Ziphearing thing works out for you.
2 Likes
LOL! After all the positive reports re. BTE devices, I was about convinced to just go with the P90’s. Then my wife (a well-known gallerist) comes home and tells me that another artist in my gallery, a well-known lady in her mid-eighties, who just got new aids a few days ago after being without them for a few years, went out from her studio and pulled her mask off for a smoke (yes -she’s a heavy smoker and still alive!), and unknowingly flipped one of her aids from behind her ear. She was unaware of doing so and then she saw it lying on the ground nearby. Decisions - decisions 
Ha, I’ve done the same. More than once. One time it took forever to find the damn thing. It bounced under my bed. When I pulled it out I had to clean dust bunnies from the dome. Not one of my finest moments.
I haven’t been wearing these long at all, maybe 2 months. I’m now at a point I don’t even notice them on other than things don’t sound right when I’m not wearing them. My loss is certainly not that bad compared to many here, but it’s made a big difference in how I go about my day. I’m sure the Eargos were quite comfortable, but whichever style of HA you settle on will be just as comfortable.
Once you’re past the “how do I put all this stuff around my ear” stage. 
If you care for 1 more opinion, here is mine. I’ve worn HA for 30 yrs, started with ITE, then CIC. About 10 years ago my audi convince me to go with RIC. I also wear glasses & lead an active lifestyle. I’ve had the RICs come off mowing the lawn (too close to a tree branch) unable to find. Then one came off while working on my ATV; before I could reach for it, my grandson accidently stepped on it. I am now wearing Signia Silk CIC Xperience 7X . I hear just as good as I did with my RIC, they have never fallen out & they don’t interfere with my glasses or masks.
1 Like
Thanks for chiming in. I took a look at those, per your suggestion. As with “hearables” like the Eargos, they don’t really have much in the way of “features” but what they do offer is life-as-you-have-known-it. You just carry on in your normal ways - answer the phone normally - even use headphones over them - except you now have some huseful enhancement that keeps you in the game, functionally-speaking. They sound like what I would have liked Eargos to be. Problem for me now is my ski slope loss of high frequencies may need more than the Silks can offer. I won’t really have the answer to that until a few days from now when I will have my first professional audiogram in over 10 years.
As long as they will really work for your hearing loss then I guess they are all right. None of those work for me, and never have.
@ffraley I feel you on the stethoscope thing! I have BT HAs and use the Eko Core attachment. It has started to work pretty consistently w my aids to BT BP sounds but it’s not perfect. But I love not having to take my aids in/out all day.
1 Like
I have worn glasses since age three and worn RIC behind ear aids(Phonak V90s) for 5 years now. Just put your glasses on first then the hearing aids. They sit above, behind and on the outer side of the glasses - sort of slightly higher on the ear. I take my glasses on and off lots of times a day to clean them and have no trouble just slipping them off and back on with the aids in place. Masks are much more of a problem and can catch the wire when trying to remove. Have to be very fussy when I place and remove masks which is a pain when we have to mask at work when there have been local outbreaks of Covid here. Can’t complain too much because we have had very few outbreaks and only small amounts of community spread which have been stomped out quickly here.
1 Like
Try glasses, HAs, mask and goggles at the same time 
. Only so much room behind my ears and it has been crowded recently.
1 Like
Thanks for that description. It describes exactly what I’m curious about. And I smiled when you described removing your glasses often to clean them. I’ve been wearing glasses for 60 years and could never stand seeing even a tiny speck of dirt, or a smear on my lenses. Photos are helpful, but when I explore that area behind my ear where my eyeglass frames are, with my finger tip, trying to figure out exactly where a relatively large chunk of plastic will rest amongst that combination of biology and prosthetic, it’s hard to imagine that another object or two could possibly share that same space with any degree of comfort or convenience! Of course, the only way to really know is to try it, but I would hate to order P90’s, put them on, and realize within the next 5 minutes that this is something I would have difficulty living with. The two prospective choices on my list right now are the VIRTO Marvel Blacks and the P90’s. I know the VIRTOs will not be quite as effective overall as the BTE’s, but I also know the ease and convenience of plugging devices into your canals and basically forgetting about them. Of course, my provider may dash my hopes of having that choice when I get my exam in a few days. I have spent many hours researching all this in the last 3 months, and a large part of being informed has derived from this forum, and having access to real people who can help answer niggling little questions and give advice.
Glasses is part of my life seeing i have been wearing them for over 60 years, and now hearing aids are just as much part of my life, i have been wearing hearing aids for over 16 years. But i have to say the face mask is and was a different story, I choose a face shield and said no to the face mask. I can’t stand anything over my nose and mouth. And when in the service I would prefer to die than wear a gas mask. I am claustrophobic and the thought of anything over my nose and mouth makes me go crazy. I love to ride motorcycles and now my Vespa Scooter but can’t wear a full face helmet, i have to make due with a half shell helmet and a shield that covers my eyes. I also had to have a cabin on the cruise ship with opening to a deck so I could see out. When sleeping i have to have the shades open so I can see out.
I wonder if there is a forum for THAT.
You should be able to try on a pair of P90s in the office.
You would be amazed what your ears can physically accommodate. In my case it has been glasses, hearing aids, and a respirator or glasses, aids, mask, and a cycling helmet.
2 Likes
I would love to be able to do that. Unfortunately, the Audi chosen to represent Zip Hearing in my area only represents and sells the AGX brand aids mentioned above. I feel a bit of a guinea pig here re. Zip Hearing’s early forays. Why they chose this guy, it’s hard to say. He IS well-credentialed and has 33 years experience, but I would otherwise avoid any hearing vendor or Audi who represents only one line. The AGX line seems to be a typical re-branded lineup that are actually devices from the Big Five - unfortunate that it isn’t the Big Six, as Phonak is the one brand NOT represented! There is a rather limited number of audiologists and vendors in my area and I’m sure that influenced their choice. I would hope this Audi could find some shell around his office that could be used to test with, but I wouldn’t expect him to come up with a shell that duplicates the very small form factor of the P90’s. Bottom line is that an appointment with Zip’s rep is the earliest I could snag in my area, and I need a current audiogram before I can make ANY decisions and move forward. My chart shown here is just a basic Mimi test done with my AirPod Pros.
Glasses, hearing aids and masks all learned to get along for me. They just juggle for their own place behind my ear. I did give up trying to wear earrings for the most part however.
I think you’re making this harder than it need be. Any RIC of similar battery configuration (rechargeable, 312 or 13) will give you a decent idea of what a RIC would be like. I’m confused though. If the audiologist you plan on going to doesn’t carry Phonak, how are you going to purchase them (and more importantly) how are you going to get them fit?
Until you have walked in my shoes don’t attempt to understand my life
1 Like
I have both types IIC (Costco Bernafon) and RIC behind the ear (Phonac). The Phonak has more options etc. , and works OK with my glasses. I set the temple piece on the outside so the RIC is almost invisible.
On the other hand the behind the ear (Phonak) is a real nuisance for wearing masks - loves to get tangled and everything has to come off in an awkward juggling act.
As a result I always opt for the IIC for day-to-day active living.
I’m 74, so I’ll soon be hitting the amplification limit of IIC’s. Oh well!