Bioelectric Activity of the Macula and Light Sensitivity in Retinitis Pigmentosa with Foveal Atrophy and Cystoid Macular Oedema

Abstract

The paper is aimed at studying the bioelectrical activity of macula, light sensitivity and macular structure in retinitis pigmentosa (RP) with cystoid macular oedema (CMO) and atrophic maculopathy. 29 patients (58 phakic eyes), aged 16 to 40 (the average age 28.4 ± 8.2 years) with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) were divided into two groups: patients with foveal atrophy (30 eyes) and CMO (28 eyes). The control group involved 29 healthy subjects of the same age. The total ERG, the 30 Hz flicker ERG and macular ERG (MERG) were determined. The amplitude and latency of a- and b-waves were assessed. Light sensitivity and perimetric indices were estimated with automatic computer perimetry. Spectral ocular coherent tomography (OCT) was performed. In atrophic maculopathy and CMO, the decrease of the amplitude of a- and b-waves of MERG and a prolonged implicit time of the a-wave were found. The increased implicit time of the b-wave was found only in patients with CMO and it correlates with intraretinal cystoid changes in the inner nuclear and outer plexiform layers of the retina. A significant positive correlation between the amplitude of the a-wave of maximal ERG and mean sensitivity (MS), and a significant negative correlation between the a-wave amplitude and mean deviation (MD) indices of automatic perimetry were found. Thus, the prolonged implicit time of the b-wave of MERG is a specific sign of CMO. Perimetric indices are additional diagnostic criteria and may be used together with electroretinography to diagnose RP and assess its progression // Russian Ophthalmological Journal, 2016; 1: 12-18.

Keywords

• пигментный ретинит
• кистозный макулярный отек
• электроретинография
• световая чувствительность
• периметрические индексы
• retinitis pigmentosa
• cystoid macular oedema
• electroretinography
• light sensitivity
• perimetric indices