Kt. Oh et al., Evaluation of patients with visual field defects following macular hole surgery using multifocal electroretinography, RETINA, 20(3), 2000, pp. 238-243
Citations number
22
Categorie Soggetti
Optalmology
Journal title
RETINA-THE JOURNAL OF RETINAL AND VITREOUS DISEASES
Purpose: To investigate patients with visual field defects following macula
r hole surgery to determine the cause of such defects, specifically with re
ference to ischemic damage versus mechanical trauma.
Methods: Five patients with known visual field defects following macular ho
le surgery were studied with Goldmann perimetry, Humphrey automated perimet
ry, and multifocal electroretinography (MERG). Three patients returned at a
later date for nerve fiber layer analysis.
Results: None of the five patients demonstrated evidence of a- or b-wave lo
ss on MERG in the regions corresponding to the visual field defects. Two of
three patients studied with the nerve fiber layer analyzer demonstrated si
gnificant loss of nerve fiber layer thickness in the quadrant corresponding
to the field defect.
Conclusion: The normal MERG results indicate that the possibility of an art
eriolar occlusion as the principal cause for the defects is unlikely in mos
t cases. Data suggest that the site of damage is in the nerve fiber layer,
although the specific cause of this damage remains to be determined.