ELECTRICAL RESPONSES FROM LOCALLY DETACHED RETINA AND ITS RECOVERY AFTER REATTACHMENT

Alterations in the focal electroretinogram (FERG) after experimental r etinal detachment and spontaneous reattachment in albino rabbits were studied. Retinal detachments of two disc diameters were produced by in jecting balanced salt solution into the subretinal space. FERGs were o btained under direct fundus visualization by an infrared television fu ndus camera with a light stimulator. The preoperative b-wave amplitude and implicit time were 0.52+/-0.07 mu V and 59.7 +/-3.8 Ins (mean+/-S D), respectively. Thirty minutes after retinal detachment, the amplitu de decreased significantly to 0.05+/-0.09 mu V (p<0.0001). The next da y, we confirmed retinal reattachment ophthalmoscopically and the ampli tude recovered to 0.30+/-0.07 mu V. Then it gradually increased to 0.5 4+/-0.07 mu V 7 days after the operation. The implicit time increased significantly to 66.6+/-4.1ms 30 min after retinal detachment (p<0.01) , was maximal the day after surgery (69.9+/-4.9 ms), and thereafter sh ortened. However, the implicit time did not recover completely and was significantly delayed compared with preoperatively even 28 days posto peratively (65.4+/-3.4 ms, p<0.01). These data suggest that functional abnormalities persist in the reattached rabbit retina, even following a brief retinal detachment.