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For people who use hearing aids, there is another option that recently became available on the Central Coast.

They are called Lyric hearing aids.

They are barely visible and are supposed to offer better quality hearing than traditional aids.

90-year-old San Luis Obispo Resident Angela Lintz has been wearing Lyric hearing aids for the past two months and said her hearing has not been this good in a long time.

"I can now hear my preacher who has a voice problem and I can hear him," said Lintz.

Lyrics are different than traditional devices in that they sit about four millimeters in the ear canal. Not only are they barely visible, the quality of hearing is better because the aids sit so close to the ear drum. Patients also do not have to take them in and out or change batteries because they are changed out by a doctor every four months.

"They can do all their normal activities, the only activity they cannot do is scuba dive or sky dive," said Dr. Aaron Marquis, owner of Advanced Hearing in San Luis Obispo, who is the audiologist from Santa Barbara to Monterey to sell Lyric hearing aids, which have been a long time in the making.

"It took them a lot of time, about nine years to develop this product and it's been out on the market now for about four years," said Bex Rex, a Lyric sales representative.

There are drawbacks.

Half the people who want Lyrics, cannot wear them because their ear canals are too small. However, Lyric will be coming out with a smaller aid in April.

And they are pricey.

"They're based on subscription. An annual subscription would be $3,600 for two devices, where a traditional daily wear instrument $2000 to $6,000 that will last three to five years," said Dr. Marquis.

Click here to contact Advanced Hearing for more information.