ELECTROFUNCTIONAL CHANGES IN EXFOLIATION SYNDROME

Purpose Up to date the pathogenetic aspects of exfoliation syndrome wh ich are not well agreed upon even though the vascular damage plays a m ajor role. Methods In order to evaluate the electrophysiological chang es occurring in patients affected by exfoliation syndrome a case-contr ol study with pattern electrofunctional examinations and oscillatory p otentials from standard flash-ERG in 80 eyes affected by exfoliation s yndrome with or without ocular hypertension was undertaken. Results So me statistically significant PERG, P-PEV and OP abnormalities were fou nd in eyes affected by exfoliation syndrome with or without ocular hyp ertension (p < 0.001). There is no statistically significant differenc e between affected and control eyes in monolateral syndrome (p > 0.05) . The electrofunctional examination did nor mark any statistically sig nificant difference between eyes with and without ocular hypertension (p > 0.05). Conclusion The results stressed by pattern and oscillatory potentials examinations may support the hypothesis of a primitive cha nge of the optic nerve.