Phonak is the manufacturer of the Lyric device which has been around for over a decade. The intent of this device is complete invisibility and you wear it 24 hours a day. That’s right, you can sleep with the hearing aid, shower with the aid, etc. In my opinion, this is NOT a completely water proof hearing aid so be careful. You must remove the devices if you’re getting an MRI (there is a removal tool for you to do this). Your hearing healthcare professional will insert this device deep into your ear canal about 4mm from your eardrum. Your ear canals need to be completely free of “wax” and there are many medical exclusions for wearing this type of device. For example, if you’re on a blood thinner you should not be wearing this device. If you have a hearing loss exceeding 80%, the Lyric is not strong enough for your hearing impairment.
In my practice, only 60% of all patients are truly candidates for this device.
The internal battery of the Lyric will typically last for about 2 months. At that time, you will need to return to your hearing healthcare professional for them to remove the device and reinsert a new one. This is a subscription-based program whereby you pay upfront for a year supply of Lyric devices and service and you can renew your subscription yearly. The typical cost for a yearly subscription is $3000-3500 for Lyrics for both ears. Over a 5-year period, you will be spending about $17,000 which for most consumers is cost prohibitive. In addition, the Lyric does not utilize a Bluetooth signal and you can’t download an app on your cell phone for adjustments. The Lyric works very well in a “quite” environment because it uses a “linear” circuit, however, it does not work well in noisy areas!
In my opinion, you should explore more cost-effective digital hearing aids that have Bluetooth connectivity and rechargeable batteries. You will save between $7-$10,000 over a 5-year period and have a better listening experience.
Dr. Izzy and his Staff are always available to answer questions pertaining to your hearing health care. Please feel free to contact 732-818-3610 (Toms River/Whiting) or 609-978-8946 (Manahawkin) or visit www.gardenstatehearing.com.
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