[The value of multifocal ERG in diagnosis of discrete macular dystrophies]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 24, 2026
Multifocal Electroretinograms
Published on: December 4, 2011
1Clinique universitaire d'ophtalmologie, Genève, Suisse. Marc.Zaninetti@hcuge.ch
Background:
Multifocal ERG is being extensively applied to numerous retinal disorders. It has gained particular clinical value in retinal disorders developing without morphological alterations.
Patients And Methods:
We investigated a series of 4 patients, aged 10, 18, 29, and 49 years, respectively. When examined, they complained of photophobia and slowly progressive bilateral loss of vision, visual acuity ranging from 0.7 to 0.1.
Results:
Ophthalmoscopic examination showed no or minimal alterations such as subtle granular changes in the fovea. Photopic-scotopic full-field ERG was normal. Multifocal ERG, in contrast, showed markedly reduced signal amplitudes within the central 10 degrees.
Conclusions:
Based on the results of multifocal ERG, we were able in each case to consider with a high degree of probability the diagnosis of progressive foveal cone dystrophy. This is to emphasize the sensitivity of multifocal ERG in disorders affecting primarily the macula, without morphological changes, as cone (-rod) dystrophy, early Stargardt dystrophy, etc. The uttermost advantages of multifocal ERG are its innocuity, its applicability to children and the very early sensitivity to changes in retinal function.
