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Updated: Jul 20, 2025
Electroretinogram Recording for Infants and Children under Anesthesia to Achieve Optimal Dark Adaptation and International Standards
Published on: September 3, 2020
Full-field electroretinogram recorded with skin electrodes in 6- to 12-year-old children
Jiajun Wang1,2, Yalan Wang1,2, Weichen Guan1,2
1Eye Hospital and School of Ophthalmology and Optometry, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
Insights
This study established reference values for full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) parameters in healthy children aged 6-12. These findings provide crucial benchmarks for diagnosing potential retinal defects in pediatric populations.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Medicine
Background:
- The full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) is essential for assessing retinal function.
- Establishing normative data for pediatric populations is critical for accurate diagnosis.
- Specific parameters like light-adapted (LA) 3 ERG and photopic negative response (PhNR) require age-specific reference values.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) parameters in healthy children aged 6 to 12 years.
- To establish normative data for light-adapted (LA) 3 ERG and photopic negative response (PhNR) in this age group.
- To provide a reference for evaluating pediatric retinal function.
Main Methods:
- ffERG data were collected from 214 healthy children aged 6-12 years.
- Measurements included LA 3 ERG using white light and PhNR using blue background light with red flashes.
- Data were analyzed for amplitudes and peak times, comparing 6-8 year olds with 9-12 year olds.
Main Results:
- A wide range of amplitudes were observed for a-wave (0.40–9.20 μV), b-wave (4.70–30.80 μV), and PhNR (1.30–39.90 μV).
- The b-wave peak time was slightly shorter in younger children (6-8 years) compared to older children (9-12 years; P=0.01).
- Significant positive correlations were found between various ffERG amplitudes and between a-wave and b-wave peak times.
Conclusions:
- This study presents the largest dataset of LA 3 ERG and PhNR parameters for healthy children aged 6-12 years.
- These normative values serve as a valuable reference for identifying potential retinal abnormalities in children.
- The findings support the use of ffERG in pediatric ophthalmological assessments.
Purpose:
To determine the full-field electroretinogram (ffERG) parameters, including the light-adapted (LA) 3 ERG and the photopic negative response (PhNR), in 6- to 12-year-old children.
Methods:
ffERG data were obtained from 214 eyes of 214 healthy subjects. The amplitudes and peak time of the ffERG responses were obtained from children divided into 6- to 8-year-old and 9- to 12-year-old groups. Using a skin electrode, electrical signals were measured in response to white stimulating light and white background light (LA 3 ERG). A blue background light and red flashes were then used to elicit the PhNR.
Results:
The a-wave amplitude ranged from 0.40 to 9.20 μV, the b-wave ranged from 4.70 to 30.80 μV, and the PhNR ranged from 1.30 to 39.90 μV. The b-wave peak time (33.20 ms) of 6- to 8-year-old groups was slightly shorter than that of the 9- to 12-year-old groups (33.60 ms, P = 0.01), but no differences in amplitudes or in peak time of other components. There were significant correlations between the amplitudes (a-wave and b-wave: r = 0.43, p < 0.001; a-wave and PhNR: r = 0.25, p < 0.001; b-wave and PhNR: r = 0.45, p < 0.001). There was a moderate correlation between the a-wave and b-wave peak time (r = 0.31, P < 0.001).
Conclusions:
We determined the largest dataset of the LA 3 ERG and PhNR parameters in a population of healthy children, aged 6-12 years, which may provide a useful reference value when evaluating children with potential retinal defects.
