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Updated: Jun 30, 2026
Multifocal Electroretinograms
Published on: December 4, 2011
The long-term impact of retinopathy of prematurity on retinal function assessed with new patterns of mfERG analysis
Youjin Elizabeth Youn1, Allison L Dorfman2, Anna Polosa3
1University of Montreal Faculty of Medicine, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Insights
Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) can cause long-term macular dysfunction, particularly in adults. Advanced multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) analysis reveals subtle retinal changes missed by standard methods.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Imaging
- Visual Electrophysiology
Background:
- Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is a significant cause of visual impairment in premature infants.
- Long-term consequences of ROP on macular function are not fully understood.
- Traditional multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) may not detect subtle, localized functional deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term impact of ROP on macular function using multifocal electroretinography (mfERG).
- To investigate the utility of sectoral mfERG analysis in identifying localized macular dysfunction in pediatric and adult ROP cohorts.
- To correlate mfERG findings with optical coherence tomography (OCT) measurements.
Main Methods:
- Recruited pediatric and adult participants into ex-ROP, preterm, and term-born control groups.
- Performed mfERG P1 amplitude and latency analysis using both traditional ring and novel sectoral approaches.
- Conducted macular OCT to assess central retinal thickness and its correlation with mfERG results.
Main Results:
- Sectoral mfERG analysis identified functional alterations in ex-ROP and preterm children, particularly reduced temporal inner retinal responses, missed by ring analysis.
- Laser-treated pediatric ex-ROP eyes showed more severe dysfunction (prolonged latencies, increased retinal thickness) than untreated eyes.
- Adult ex-ROP and preterm participants exhibited decreased P1 amplitudes in localized macular regions.
- Both pediatric and adult ex-ROP cohorts had increased central retinal thickness, correlating with functional deficits.
Conclusions:
- A history of ROP is associated with diminished macular function, detectable by mfERG.
- Sectoral mfERG analysis offers superior sensitivity for detecting localized macular dysfunction compared to traditional methods.
- Macular dysfunction in ex-ROP may exhibit age-related progression, with more pronounced effects in adults.
Purpose:
To assess the long-term impact of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) on macular function in pediatric and adult patient cohorts through the analysis of multifocal ERG (mfERG) results. Sectoral analyses were employed to uncover subtle localized findings that ring assessments could mask.
Methods:
25 children and 28 adults were recruited into three groups: "ex-ROP" (individuals with a history of ROP), "preterm" (preterm-born without ROP), and "term" (term-born controls). mfERG P1 amplitudes and latencies were evaluated in five concentric rings centered on the fovea, as well as superior, inferior, nasal and temporal quadrants following Patterns 1, 2 and 3 for sectoral analysis. Macular optical coherence tomography (OCT) was performed to measure central retinal thickness and evaluate correlation with mfERG results.
Results:
Using a sectoral mfERG analysis approach, applied for the first time in this population, we identified functional alterations that were not apparent with traditional global ring averages. In the pediatric cohort, sectoral evaluation revealed a significant reduction in temporal inner retinal responses in both ex-ROP and preterm children, changes that were obscured when relying solely on traditional mfERG ring analysis. Within the ex-ROP pediatric group, laser-treated eyes showed more pronounced dysfunction, with significantly prolonged P1 latencies and increased central retinal thickness compared to untreated eyes. In adults, sectoral analysis again highlighted functional abnormalities: ex-ROP and preterm participants demonstrated significantly decreased P1 amplitudes in multiple localized regions, including Rings 2 and 3. Finally, both pediatric and adult ex-ROP cohorts exhibited greater central retinal thickness than term-born controls, reinforcing the structural-functional relationship captured more sensitively through this refined sectoral method.
Conclusion:
Our study demonstrated that a history of ROP is associated with diminished macular function, as evidenced by mfERG assessments, a finding more pronounced in adults compared to the younger pediatric cohort, possibly suggestive of an age-related degeneration in retinal function.
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