My Guide to Wearing Hearing Aids with Glasses

Wearing glasses and hearing aids simultaneously often causes physical conflict. You have two essential tools fighting for a small amount of space behind your ear. 

This area, known as the retro-auricular space, contains sensitive skin, cartilage, and nerves. When you crowd this space, you create pressure. That pressure leads to soreness, headaches, and sometimes feedback from your device.

Many people just accept this discomfort as a necessary price for seeing and hearing clearly. 

Don’t. 

You can wear both devices simultaneously without pain. Comfort requires a systematic approach. You must combine the right placement technique with appropriate equipment choices and professional adjustments.

When you understand the mechanics of how frames and hearing aids interact, you can solve the problem. This guide explains how to configure your devices so they function as a single unit rather than two separate obstacles.

Why Discomfort Happens

The root of the problem is simple physics. Your ears connect to your head at a slight angle. The space between the back of your ear and your skull is narrow. For most people, this gap is less than a centimeter wide.

The Space Conflict

Standard glasses rely on this ledge to stay on your face. The arm of the glasses, called the temple, curves over the ear to grip the head. Traditional Behind-the-Ear (BTE) hearing aids also sit on this ledge. The body of the hearing aid contains the battery and microphone. It needs a secure place to rest. When you force both objects onto this narrow shelf, they push against each other.

Skin Irritation

The glasses arm presses the hearing aid into the side of your head. Alternatively, the hearing aid pushes the glasses outward, affecting your vision. This friction irritates the thin skin behind the ear. Over time, constant rubbing breaks down the skin barrier, leading to raw spots or sores.

Acoustic Interference

Beyond physical pain, a poor fit causes audio issues. If your glasses push the hearing aid microphone against your skin or hair, it can create a feedback loop. This results in a high-pitched whistling sound that disrupts your hearing and annoys those around you.

Related Article: Hearing Aid Comfort Tips

How to Position Your Glasses and Hearing Aids

You can eliminate most discomfort by changing the order in which you put on your devices. Most people put their hearing aids on first because they want to hear immediately. This is a mistake. The hearing aid is usually thicker and more mobile than the glasses. If you place the hearing aid first, the glasses arm will crush it against your skull.

The goal is to create a stable foundation with your glasses and then fit the hearing aid around them. This method prevents the glasses from dislodging the hearing aid when you move your head. It also ensures your vision remains corrected at the proper angle.

Follow this sequence to achieve a secure fit:

1. Secure Your Glasses First

Place your glasses on your face. Ensure the arms rest flat against your head and the nose pads sit comfortably. Adjust them until your vision is clear, and the frames feel stable. The arms should hug the side of your head rather than digging in.

2. Insert the Hearing Aid

Hold the hearing aid by the body. Guide the dome or mold into your ear canal first. Once the speaker is secure in your ear, rotate the body of the hearing aid upward behind your ear.

3. Nestle the Device

Place the hearing aid body between the glasses arm and your outer ear. Do not place it underneath the glasses' arm. It should sit side-by-side with the temple. This position minimizes pressure on the skull.

4. Check the Position

Run your finger behind your ear. You should feel the glasses arm against your head and the hearing aid resting gently against the arm. If they overlap, adjust the hearing aid until they sit parallel.

5. Removal

When you take them off, reverse the process. Remove the hearing aid first. Pull the body up and out before removing the piece from your canal. Remove your glasses last. This prevents the hearing aid from tumbling to the floor.

Best Hearing Aid Styles for Glasses Wearers

The style of hearing aid you choose matters as much as your glasses. Some designs eliminate the conflict entirely, while others require careful management.

In-the-Ear (ITE) and Completely-in-Canal (CIC)

Custom-molded devices like ITE and CIC models also bypass the problem. These aids fit entirely inside the ear and occupy no space behind it, making them an excellent choice for comfort with eyewear. 

However, they often require custom manufacturing and may have different battery life or power capabilities compared to external models. They act independently of your eyewear.

Receiver-in-Canal (RIC)

RIC devices are a popular type of Behind-the-Ear aid. They connect the body of the aid to the ear canal via a thin electrical wire. This wire is significantly thinner than the acoustic tubes used on older models. The body of an RIC aid is usually small and discreet. While they do sit behind the ear, their compact size makes them easy to pair with glasses. If you use the placement method described earlier, RIC aids typically work well with wire-frame glasses.

Standard Behind-the-Ear (BTE)

Standard BTE models are the largest option. They use a clear acoustic tube to send sound into the ear. The body of the device is larger to accommodate bigger batteries and amplifiers. These present the biggest challenge for glasses wearers. If you require the power of a standard BTE, you must prioritize thin glasses frames to make the combination work.

The Best Hearing Aid on the Market for Glasses Wearers

For glasses wearers, the Nova Hearing Aid is the most practical choice. Designed to look and feel like a modern wireless earbud, it sits securely inside your ear rather than hooking over.

This design leaves the sensitive space behind your ear completely free. You can wear thick frames, sunglasses, or even safety goggles without any interference. It solves the problem at the source, eliminating friction, clicking sounds, and the fear of knocking your device loose when you adjust your glasses.

Related Article: How to Choose Hearing Aids

Choosing the Right Glasses

The design of your eyeglass frames dictates how much room remains for your hearing aid. If you wear hearing aids, you must consider the temple design when purchasing new glasses.

• Select thin metal frames like titanium to maximize the available room for your hearing aid.
• Avoid thick plastic arms that crowd the area behind the ear and push against the device.
• Steer clear of frames with sharp downward hooks that interfere with the hearing aid's tubing.
• Prioritize straight "library" style temples that rest against the side of the head without hooking behind the ear.
• Make sure any curved temples have a shallow angle that follows the natural contour of your skull.

Professional Adjustments Do Exist If Needed

You don’t have to accept a poor fit, as optical professionals can modify your glasses to accommodate your hearing aids. 

When you purchase new glasses, bring your hearing aids to the appointment. Put them on before the optician measures the frames. This allows them to see exactly where the conflict occurs.

Ask the optician to create a "comfort channel." They can use a heat gun to soften the plastic or metal of the temple tips. They will then mold the arm to curve slightly around the hearing aid. This creates a dedicated pocket for the device. The glasses arm will no longer press into the hearing aid, but will bridge over or around it.

You should also check the length of the temple arms. If the arms are too long, they extend too far down the back of the head. This pushes against the bottom of the hearing aid body. An optician can shorten the arms or increase the curve angle to keep the tips clear of the device. This adjustment stabilizes the glasses and removes pressure from the hearing aid.

Accessories to Consider for Stability and Comfort

Sometimes, mechanical adjustments are not enough. If you have sensitive skin or an active lifestyle, you might need additional tools to ensure comfort and security. Small, inexpensive accessories can resolve friction and prevent you from losing your device.

Consider adding these items to your setup:

• Spandex or Nylon Sleeves:

These are soft, tubular covers that slide over the arms of your glasses. They act as a cushion between the hard material of the glasses and the plastic of the hearing aid. The fabric reduces friction and absorbs sweat. This prevents the chafing that leads to soreness.

• Retention Cords:

A retention cord is a safety tether. One end clips to your hearing aid, and the other clips to your collar. If your glasses knock your hearing aid loose when you remove them, the cord catches the device. This prevents the hearing aid from falling to the ground and breaking or getting lost.

• Hearing Aid Tape:

This is a double-sided, medical-grade adhesive tape. It is hypoallergenic and safe for the skin. You apply a small strip to the side of the hearing aid that faces your head. This keeps the device fixed in place. It prevents the hearing aid from shifting when you move your glasses or chew.

• Foam Pads:

Small adhesive foam pads can attach to the side of the hearing aid. These create a buffer zone. If the glasses arm presses against the aid, it pushes into soft foam rather than hard plastic. This reduces the transmission of clicking sounds and protects the skin.

How to Troubleshoot Sound Issues

Feedback is a common complaint for people who wear glasses and hearing aids. Feedback sounds like a high-pitched squeal or whistle. It happens when sound that leaves the speaker leaks out and gets picked up again by the microphone.

Identify the Cause

Glasses can cause feedback in two ways. First, the arm of the glasses might reflect sound back toward the microphone. Second, the glasses might push the hearing aid mold slightly out of the ear canal, breaking the acoustic seal. If you hear whistling when you put your glasses on, check the position of the microphone.

Adjust Microphone Clearance

Most BTE hearing aids have microphones on the top spine of the casing. If the glasses arm sits directly on top of these ports, it causes noise. Try adjusting the glasses so the arm sits slightly higher or lower than the microphone ports. This small gap often stops the sound reflection.

Digital Cancellation

You can also ask your audiologist to adjust the feedback cancellation settings. Modern hearing aids use digital processing to identify and stop feedback. If the physical interference from your glasses is unavoidable, increasing the sensitivity of the feedback canceller can silence the noise.

Daily Challenges and Solutions

Wearing hearing aids and glasses introduces small logistical challenges throughout the day. Taking off a sweater, wearing a face mask, or switching to sunglasses requires attention.

Switching to Sunglasses

When you switch from prescription glasses to sunglasses, you disrupt the system. You must remove the clear glasses without dislodging the hearing aid, then slide the sunglasses into the same slot. To do this smoothly, hold the hearing aid against your head with one finger while you swap the frames. This keeps the device stable during the transition.

Wearing Face Masks

Face masks add a third layer to the area behind the ear. The elastic loops of a mask crowd the space even further. This creates significant pressure and increases the risk of catapulting your hearing aid across the room when you remove the mask. 

The best solution is to bypass the ears entirely. Use a mask extender or a plastic clip that connects the loops behind your head. This keeps the mask straps off your ears and leaves that space for your glasses and hearing aids.

Finding Harmony Between Sight & Sound

Wearing glasses and hearing aids shouldn't feel like a daily struggle. It helps to view them not as rivals fighting for space, but as a single system designed for your senses.

The secret lies in your choices. Tools like the Nova Hearing Aid sit inside your ear, avoiding the issue entirely. If you prefer the behind-the-ear style, thin glasses, and the right placement routine, change everything. Even a small tweak from an optician can make a massive difference.

When you get this right, the technology fades into the background. You stop fussing with the fit. You simply see clearly and hear comfortably.

That is the philosophy behind HearDirectClub. We design devices that fit your life, so you never have to choose between seeing well and hearing clearly.