Are visual evoked potentials and pattern ERG useful in neuro‐ophthalmology?

• Published in: Acta ophthalmologica (Oxford, England) Vol. 88; no. s246
• Main Author: HOLDER, GE
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-09-2010
• ISSN: 1755-375X; 1755-3768
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1755-3768.2010.4341.x

Purpose To describe the roles of VEP and PERG in clinical neuroophthalmology.
Methods Case based examples.
Results Objective visual system testing with electrophysiology allows the distinction between optic nerve and macular dysfunction, often difficult in clinical practice. Examples will be shown of the types of VEP abnormality that can occur in different disorders of optic nerve function. PERG should also be performed in the patient with visual symptoms; if the PERG suggests macular dysfunction, full‐field ERG is indicated in order to determine whether that macular dysfunction is part of a generalised retinal process or is dysfunction localised to the macula. Electrophysiology further allows the diagnosis of non‐organic visual loss and the quantification of visual system dysfunction.
Conclusion The objective functional assessment with electrophysiology is an important part of the diagnostic armamentarium available to neuroophthalmologists.