How much hearing loss does someone need before they are considered suitable for a cochlear implant?
The criteria are changing over time. Initially, people had to have a total loss in both ears. Nowadays most people need to have a severe to profound loss in both ears. This means they should get little or no benefit from using hearing aids. However, some people with residual low frequency hearing may get little high frequency information from hearing aids and may also be considered for a cochlear implant. Certain people whose hearing shows significant fluctuation may be considered as well.
