A segmented electroluminescent device (100) with resistive interconnect layers (102), each segment (104,104′, 104″) comprising an electroluminescent layer (110) arranged in between a first (106) and a second electrode (108) layer. The segments (104, 104′, 104″) are connected via resistive interconnect layers (102), the resistive interconnect layers having a larger square resistance than the second electrode layer. The resistive interconnect layers (102) add a ballast resistance to the electroluminescent device such that no additional electric ballast is needed. As the electric ballast is divided over multiple layers the problem of a heat management for the electric ballast becomes less important. By adding an isolation layer (122) the surface of the resistive interconnect layers (102) can be increased to almost the whole surface of the electroluminescent device (100). The system of the electrode layer (108), the isolating layer (122) and the resistive layer (102) functions as a capacitor.