[Electroophthalmologic studies of papillitis, vascular papilledema and obstructed papilla]

The photopic electroretinogram (ERG) and the brightness visually evoked cortical potentials (HEPs) were recorded from patients with oedema of the optic disc caused by papillitis (7 patients), by vascular disease (10 patients) and by intracranial hypertension. For the ERG a Henkes-electrode in reference to an earlobe electrode was used. The H-EPs were recorded bipolar in the midline 5% to 25% and unipolar 15% in reference to an earlobe electrode (inion to nasion = 100%). For evaluation the amplitudes and the peaktimes of the a- and b-wave of the ERG were measured. In the H-EPs the amplitudes and the peaktimes of a negatives peak at approximately 70 ms (NGZ) and a positive peak at approximately 120 ms (PGZ) were obtained from the bipolar recording and a positive peak at approximately 100 ms (PGZ) and a negative peak at approximately 140 ms (NGZ) obtained from the unipolar recording were measured. The photopic ERGs of the affected eye showed normal values, however the H-EPs were distinctly pahtological. With the exception of the negative peaktime (NGZ) of the bipolar leads of the intracranial hypertensive papiloedema, all peaktimes were lengthened and amplitudes decreased. These findings were especially evident in the bipolar tracings of papillitis and unipolar tracings of intracranial hypertension.