[Investigation of multifocal electroretinogram in amblyopia]

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the changes of the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) in amblyopic eyes. Methods The mfERG of 28 anisometropic amblyopic cases (28 eyes), 25 strabismic amblyopic cases (25 eyes), 14 isometropic amblyopic cases (28 eyes) and 54 normal control eyes were tested.

Results: The N1 wave and P1 wave amplitude densities of mfERG first order kernel and the P1 wave amplitude densities of second order kernel in amblyopic eyes were significantly attenuated in the central region of the visual field (P < 0.05), and these phenomena gradually reduced with the increase of the eccentricity. The N1 wave and P1 wave amplitude densities of mfERG first order kernel at the temporal visual field were smaller than that of the nasal visual field, and the latencies were delayed at the temporal visual field in all groups (P < 0.05). The P1 wave amplitude densities of mfERG second order kernel at the upper visual field were smaller than that of the lower visual field in all groups (P < 0.05), and no significant differences could be detected in other indexes between the upper visual field and the lower visual field (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in latencies of mfERG between the amblyopic eyes and control eyes (P > 0.05). No significant difference of mfERG was found among the three types of amblyopic eyes. In the amblyopic eyes, there was no linear correlation between visual acuity eyes and various indexes of mfERG (P > 0.05). There was significant difference in mfERG between the amblyopic eyes and contralateral eyes (P < 0.05), but there was no significant difference between the contralateral eyes and the control eyes (P > 0.05).

Conclusions: The X ganglion cells in the retina of amblyopic eyes are abnormal, but the visual information transmitting time in the retina was normal in the amblyopic eyes.