PATTERN ELECTRORETINOGRAM, VISUAL-EVOKED POTENTIAL AND PSYCHOPHYSICALFUNCTIONS IN MACULOPATHY

To compare pattern electroretinograms and visual evoked potentials wit h psychophysical examinations, such as visual acuity, static (automate d) perimetry and color vision in unilateral maculopathies of various o rigins, 20 patients with unilateral retinal diseases within the macula and the posterior pole were tested. Pattern electroretinography, visu al evoked potential testing and static perimetry (Octopus program M1) were performed with three different test field sizes (20 degrees x 20 degrees, 10 degrees x 10 degrees and 6 degrees x 6 degrees). The best correlation in all three test held sizes was found between visual acui ty, static perimetry and visual evoked potential. This result is surpr ising, since central area defined functions (visual evoked potentials, visual acuity), correlated well with a total area integrating functio n (mean defect in static perimetry). The pattern electroretinogram, wh ich seems to reflect an area-related function as well, showed a correl ation to static perimetry only in the smaller 10 degrees x 10 degrees and 6 degrees x 6 degrees fields and not a significant correlation in the 20 degrees x 20 degrees field. Smaller stimulation fields may ther efore produce sharper results in pattern electroretinographic testing. There was no correlation between pattern electroretinograms and visua l evoked potentials or visual acuity. The pattern electroretinogram wa s recorded under monocular and binocular viewing conditions. In 60% of the patients, the amplitude of the affected eye was more reduced in t he monocular than the binocular viewing condition; the healthy fellow eye controled stable fixation of the affected eye more readily during binocular pattern electroretinogram registration. The degree of the co lor vision disturbance (C-index, desaturated panel D-15 test) did not correlate to any of the other examinations.