Pattern Electroretinography in Preperimetric Glaucoma

Abstract

The aim of the study was to explore the informativeness of pattern electroretinography (PERG) as an objective method for detection of early changes in the retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) function in patients with preperimetric glaucoma. A group of 103 people was studied – 56 patients with preperimetric glaucoma and 47 healthy individuals as controls. Full ophthalmological examination, standard automated perimetry (SAP), optical coherent tomography (OCT) and PERG were performed. The main variables that were considered in the results analysis were the latency (L), amplitudes (A) and amplitude ratio (AR), reflecting the configuration of the wave forms. Statistical analysis was performed with IBM SPSS Statistics 23.0 statistical package. The comparative analysis between the PERG components values of patients from both groups demonstrated significant differences in L of P50 and N95 in central stimulation and in N95 in paracentral stimulation. L of the glaucoma patients were longer than those of the controls. In PERG A significant difference was found in component N35-P50 in central stimulation and in AR N35-P50/P50-N95 in paracentral stimulation. The PERG A of glaucoma patients were lower than those of the healthy subjects. These results correlated with the significant differences in the macular RNFL thickness between the two groups. PERG could be used as an objective method for registration of early changes in the RGCs function in glaucoma suspected patients before the presence of any functional changes in SAP and significant structural changes at OCT and also for monitoring the changes in dynamics.