About Electric Acoustic Stimulation (EAS)

Partial deafness is a condition which is characterised by the inability to hear higher frequency sounds. Persons who are partially deaf are, however, able to hear low frequency sounds.

For these individuals hearing aids often provide unsatisfactory results for understanding speech or listening to complex sounds, such as music. Traditional cochlear implant systems are also not the ideal solution because they do not allow users to benefit from their remaining natural hearing in the low frequencies.

Combined Electric Acoustic Stimulation, or EAS, is the concept of applying acoustic amplification and cochlear implant technology together in the same ear. The EAS™ Hearing System is the ideal solution for people with this type of hearing loss.

The acoustic unit of the EAS™ system digitally amplifies low frequencies, while the cochlear implant component electrically stimulates the higher frequencies. With the MED-EL EAS™ Hearing System, the inner ear is provided with acoustic and electric stimuli in parallel and is able to process both high and low frequency information simultaneously, just as the ear would naturally.