The flexoelectro-optic effect in short-pitch cholesterics [1] is analysed in terms of applied electric field strengths and material parameters such as the two flexoelectric coefficients es and eb and the three elastic constants. Starting from the free energy density of the uniformly lying-helix (ULH) configuration, including the flexoelectric polarization term, the equation describing the field-induced tilt angle of the bulk optic axis is derived. It is convenient to introduce the flexoelectric “anisotropy” Deltae as the difference between the splay and bend flexoelectric coefficients, hence defined by Deltae es eb. Our results then show that Deltae is the essential material parameter controlling the sign and magnitude of the electrically induced tilt. In the region of linear approximation, the tilt is proportional to Deltae and to the electric field E, and inversely proportional to the helical wave vector k, as well as the effective elastic constant (K11 K33). The individual values of the elastic constants K11, K22 and K33 do have an influence on the magnitude of the effect, but not on its linearity. The Deltae dependence conforms in the simplest way to the physical requirement that the flexoelectro-optic effect must be particularly pronounced in the case that es and eb are of opposite sign.