[Transcorneal electrostimulation]

Abstract

Stimulation with weak electrical currents as a potential therapy for ophthalmic diseases has been propagated for a long time and encountered mixed acceptance but has recently regained interest due to observations in retinal implant projects. In these projects involving patients with retinitis pigmentosa a neuroprotective effect of weak, even subthreshold, electrical stimulation was found which led to improvement in visual functions even in areas distant from the implant. Results of several animal studies clearly substantiate a neuroprotective effect in degenerative retinal diseases and traumatic optic neuropathies. Studies in patients have so far been published for nonarteritic anterior ischemic and traumatic optic neuropathy, retinal artery occlusion and Stargardt's disease. These studies were mostly small and of short duration so that effects did not reach statistical significance. A controlled, randomized study in patients with retinitis pigmentosa has recently been published where positive tendencies and several statistically significant improvements in visual function were observed in one subgroup. Electrical stimulation further deserves further attention as several companies currently offer devices which should enable patients to self-administer electrical stimulation. This article gives an overview of the scientific background of electrical stimulation and critically assesses data from animal and human studies with focus on retinitis pigmentosa.