Electroretinography of central retinal vein occlusion under scotopic and photopic conditions: what to measure?

INTRODUCTION

In the management of cases of central retinal vein occlusion it is important to identify those patients who will develop the complication of iris neovascularisation. Electroretinography is of proven use in this role but there is some confusion about which parameters to measure and at what stimulus intensities.

METHODS

A variety of ERG parameters in scotopic and photopic conditions were tested by ROC analysis for the prediction of the development of this complication in 39 patients with CRVO.

RESULTS

The results indicated that a single flash and measurement of the b/a ratio under photopic conditions is as effective in this aim as measuring multiple parameters.

CONCLUSION

A simplified and shortened protocol could be used in the examination of this condition thereby making the application of ERG more practical in the clinical setting.