Correlation of histologic and electroretinographic changes in peripheral retinal ablation in the rhesus monkey

We studied the effect of peripheral retinal ablation on the electroretinograms of five rhesus monkeys. An ablation procedure analogous to that commonly used in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy was carried out with an argon laser photocoagulator. Quantitative histologic measures showed retinal destruction of about 13% of total retinal area. This was associated with about a 50% reduction in scotopic electroretinographic amplitude.