Pattern reversal electroretinograms in patients with unilateral idiopathicfull thickness macular holes

Purpose. To discover the effect of detachment of the posterior vitreous cor tex on pattern electroretinogram (PERG) P50 amplitudes in the uninvolved fe llow eyes (FE) of patients with macular holes (MH), and to determine the pr ognostic value of the PERG in identifying the FE of patients with MH that c ould be at risk for the development of a MH. Methods. PERGs were recorded using 12' and 46' checkboard stimulus reversin g at 5 Hz in 18 patients selected from a cohort of 37 patients with unilate ral idiopathic full thickness MH, and in age-matched controls (AMC). Contac t lens biomicroscopy with a Goldmann contact lens and kinetic B-scan ultras onography were performed bilaterally in both patients and AMC. Results. The P50 amplitudes with checks of 12' and 46' were significantly l ower in eyes with MH than in the uninvolved FE and AMC. There was a signifi cant reduction in the P50 amplitudes in the FE compared to the AMC with che cks of 12', but there was no significant reduction with checks of 46'. In t he FE with posterior vitreous detachment (PVD) (eleven cases), the P50 ampl itudes with checks of 12' were greater than in the eyes without PVD. With c hecks of 46', there was no significant difference in eyes with and without PVD. Conclusions. These data suggest that subclinical macular pathology in the F E of MH probably resulting from vitreous traction can be demonstrated by PE RG using small check size stimulus.