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A hearing aid is not a simple sound amplifier. Instead, it is 
a complex medical device with technology that can be programmed by an audiologist to meet your hearing needs. While hearing aids do not restore your hearing to “normal,” they can improve your hearing and listening abilities, reducing embarrassment, social stress, tension and fatigue. If you have a hearing loss, a licensed audiologist can determine the best type and model of hearing aid that is appropriate for your lifestyle and hearing needs.
Basic digital hearing aids generally require the wearer to make some manual adjustments in certain listening environments such as turning a volume control up or down, or pushing a button to change listening programs.
In contrast, a premium or more advanced hearing aid responds automatically to changes in the listener’s environment, making changes based on the signals being detected by the hearing aid. The hearing aid wearer is not required to make any manual changes. As the level of the technology increases in hearing aids, so do the availability of advanced features.
Hearing aids are available in many different sizes and styles thanks to advancements in digital technology and miniaturization of the internal components. Many of today’s hearing aids are considered sleek, compact, and innovative – offering solutions to a wide range of hearing aid wearers. Your Audiologist will recommend the style of hearing aid that is most appropriate for you based on your hearing loss type and severity, ear anatomy, lifestyle and dexterity.
The Hearing Center at Eye Consultants of Atlanta offers various hearing aid styles, including:
We primarily dispense hearing aids from the following manufacturers:
This list is not exclusive and other manufacturers may be available. Please discuss your options with your audiologist.
The best type of hearing aid depends on the type and severity of your hearing loss and your lifestyle. It is most important that the device you select accommodates your listening needs. Your audiologist will discuss hearing aid options in depth, including:
There are many assistive devices that may also help you to hear better with or without hearing aids. Your audiologist will recommend devices to enhance your listening experience, such as telephone connectivity, TV devices, FM systems, Bluetooth devices for cell phone use, audio-loops, etc. These may further improve your hearing in noisy situations, on the telephone, in group settings or when the sound source is a distance away.
When you purchase a hearing aid at Eye Consultants of Atlanta Hearing Center, your audiologist will provide support throughout the hearing aid wearing process. You will learn how to care for and use your hearing aids to receive optimal benefit before leaving the office with your new hearing aids.
Success with hearing aids is heavily impacted by the follow-up services that your audiologist provides. Not only do you receive a hearing aid trial to insure that you can adjust to the use of hearing aids, you receive our personal commitment to help you maximize the benefit you receive from your devices. We believe that properly fit hearing aids can truly improve your hearing so you can keep enjoying all aspects of your life.
Once you have selected your hearing aids, your audiologist will program them based on your prescription to meet your hearing needs. Your audiologist will be providing you with a lot of new information at this appointment, so it’s a good idea to bring a family member or close friend to support you. You will learn how to use the devices, how to put them in your ear and remove them, how to change the batteries, how to care for and clean the devices, and how to use advanced features such as Bluetooth if you have selected a device with extra features.
When you put the hearing aids in for the first time, you may have different emotions about the sounds you hear. This is normal and to be expected. The goal of the hearing aid is to make every day sound audible and comfortable, but the sound you hear should be clear and pleasant. Your audiologist will make sure you are comfortable with your devices before leaving the office and may do testing to make sure the hearing aids are giving you enough sound where you need it.
It is important to be honest with your audiologist about what you hear so they can work with you to create the best listening experience possible. Your hearing aid fitting is only a starting place and you will mostly likely have changes to customize the hearing to your liking over a few appointments as you wear the hearing aids and adapt to all the new sounds you are hearing.
At the appointment, your audiologist will provide you with a written personalized guide to the care and maintenance of your hearing aids to reinforce the important information that was verbally communicated during your appointment.
Attitude is a key component in hearing aid success. Studies have shown that people who have a positive attitude do better with hearing aids. Keep in mind that it may take some time to get used to the sounds you were missing, but with the support of your audiologist, family and friends, you will get the most out of your new hearing aids.
Hearing aids have small working parts and it is not uncommon over time for a hearing aid to need a repair. Devices do experience a significant amount of wear and tear, even when the hearing aids are properly cared for. If you should experience an issue that needs repair, you should take your hearing aid(s) to your audiologist who is equipped to diagnose broken hearing aids. They are equipped to diagnose a broken hearing aid.
Some minor hearing aid repairs can be done in the office settings while others need to be sent to the manufacturer for repair.
If you are a current hearing aid user and have hearing aids that were not fit at our office, we are happy to repair your hearing aids. We are able to service most major manufacturers of hearing aids and our office can tell you whether yours is a brand we service.
Hearing aids come with a warranty when purchased new. If your warranty is expired, it is still possible to repair most hearing aids for a small fee. Depending on the hearing aid manufacturer, this repair may come with a new warranty. Your hearing professional will provide you with your repair options when you take your hearing aid into the office.
We encourage our patients to call our office at 404-591-2950 when they are in need of a repair. We will do our best to accommodate you quickly. Rather than waiting for appointment, we encourage you to drop your hearing aid off at our office and our audiologist will assess it and call you with a diagnosis. If there is any fee required for the repair, you will be notified prior to any services being rendered. Otherwise, if no fee is required, we will call you to pick up your device once it is repaired. If your device must be sent out for repair, you will also be notified with an estimated time frame. We offer loaner hearing aids to our current patients if your device must be sent out for repair.
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