[Electroretinography in AIDS retinopathy and AIDS cytomegalovirus retinitis with ganciclovir therapy].

Electroretinographic (ERG) investigations were performed in three AIDS patients. The first had cotton wool-like spots in both eyes (AIDS "retinopathy"). The second presented with the same changes in his right eye and an acute cytomegalovirus (CMV) in his left eye. In the third patient signs of healed peripheral retinochoroiditis were found. In CMV retinitis the retinal damage demonstrated by ERG correlated well with the ophthalmoscopic findings. As the ERG improved concurrently with Ganciclovir therapy, retinal function can be monitored by means of ERG controls. In the cases of AIDS "retinopathy" with only a few cotton wool-like spots and with healed peripheral retinochoroiditis, pronounced changes in the ERG were seen regularly; these were most probably caused by ischemia of the inner retinal layers.