Multifocal electroretinogram and central visual field testing in central areolar choroidal dystrophy.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Imaging
• Visual Electrophysiology

Background:

• Central areolar choroidal dystrophy (CACD) is a degenerative retinal disease.
• Assessing visual function in CACD requires sensitive diagnostic tools.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) findings in CACD.
• To correlate mfERG results with retinal sensitivity measured by Humphrey visual field (HVF) analysis.

Main Methods:

• mfERG and central 30/2 HVF tests were performed on 7 eyes of 4 CACD patients and 15 controls.
• HVF results were analyzed in 5 concentric rings to match mfERG ring analysis.
• Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U and Spearman tests.

Main Results:

• CACD patients exhibited significantly lower retinal sensitivities in all 5 HVF rings (p<0.001 for rings 1-4, p=0.017 for ring 5).
• mfERG showed reduced P1/N1 amplitudes (p<0.05) and delayed P1/N1 implicit times (p<0.05) in patients.
• HVF detected central scotoma in 85.7% of eyes and paracentral scotoma in one eye.

Conclusions:

• mfERG values were depressed in areas of scotoma identified by HVF in CACD patients.
• Abnormalities in both mfERG and HVF were observed even in retinal areas that appeared normal ophthalmoscopically.