Fundus motion during mfERG testing.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neuroscience
• Visual Electrophysiology

Background:

• Multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) is a key diagnostic tool for retinal function.
• Assessing eye movement stability during mfERG is crucial for reliable data acquisition.
• Previous studies have not extensively evaluated eye movement stability during mfERG recordings in relation to test-retest reliability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate eye movements during multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) recordings.
• To determine the relationship between bivariate contour ellipse areas (BCEAs), mfERG amplitudes (Amps), and mfERG implicit times (ITs) with repeat testing.
• To compare mfERG metrics and BCEAs between experienced and novice subjects.

Main Methods:

• Thirty healthy subjects (15 experienced, 15 novice) underwent mfERG recordings on two separate days.
• mfERGs were recorded using a clinical technique with fundus monitoring to track eye position.
• Bivariate contour ellipse areas (BCEAs) were calculated from fundus images, and mfERG Amps and ITs were analyzed.

Main Results:

• No significant correlation was found between mfERG metrics (Amps, ITs) and BCEAs with repeat testing.
• No significant differences in mfERG Amps, ITs, or BCEAs were observed between experienced and novice subjects.
• Eye movements between visits were highly correlated (r=0.67), with BCEAs during mfERG being larger than in previous literature.

Conclusions:

• The center of fixation during mfERG remains within the central hexagon in healthy subjects.
• Eye stability during the initial mfERG recording is predictive of stability during subsequent recordings.
• The degree of eye movement during mfERG did not impact mfERG Amps or ITs, supporting clinical confidence with mfERG in novice patients.