MULTIFOCAL ELECTRORETINOGRAMS IN NORMAL SUBJECTS

Multifocal electroretinography (ERG), developed by Sutter in 1992, is a method of recording the spatial distribution of focal ERG in a short time period using multi-input stimulation. Using this technique, we c an detect the spatial extent and severity of damage to the macula. In this study, we recorded multifocal ERGs from 20 eyes of 20 normal subj ects and analyzed the topographical properties of responses. In every subject, a negative wave followed by a positive wave could be recorded and we named them the N1-wave and the N1-wave, respectively. The ampl itudes of the N1-wave and the P1-wave were the largest in the fovea, a nd they became smaller with eccentricity. In the P1-wave amplitude, th e greatest intersubject variability was observed at the fovea. The N1 and P1 latencies were shorter in the upper retina than in the lower re tina. The amplitude was larger in the upper retina than in the lower r etina, which suggests the functional superiority of the upper retina. There was no statistical difference in latency and amplitude between t he nasal and the temporal retina. We found no statistical difference b etween the responses of the papillomacular bundle and those of the tem poral retinal area. The mapping obtained by multifocal ERG was useful as objective perimetry. (C) 1998 Japanese Ophthalmological Society.