Electrodiagnostic procedures in drug-induced ocular diseases

✍ Scribed by Harold E. Henkes; August F. Deutman

• Publisher: Springer-Verlag
• Year: 1973
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 817 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0012-4486
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00151809

✦ Synopsis

Modern electrophysiological methods like electro-oculography (EOG), electroretinography (ERG) and visually evoked cortical responses (VER) enable us to determine objectively the localization and the extent of drug-induced diseases in many cases.

Sometimes more information can be obtained when advanced examination methods, such as the local foveal ERG, are used. The objective examination methods mentioned above are not the only techniques to rely on when the early diagnosis of drug-induced diseases is concerned. These methods have to be supplemented by other objective and psychophysical examination methods.

Follow-up of electrodiagnostic results may be quite helpful in giving a reliable prognosis in drug-induced ocular diseases.

Before 1960, electrodiagnostic examination of the visual system was not or hardly at all performed in the evaluation of side effects of drugs on the eye.

On the basis of the localization of the a-and b-waves of the ERG accepted at that time, damage to the photoreceptors and/or bipolar cell layer could be diagnosed, if the retinal damage was extensive enough. However, even central scotomata of 30 degrees could hardly be demonstrated with the examination methods used at that time. This was changed in the sixties when more advanced amplifying and aver-* Centre for drug-induced ocular diseases, Eye Clinic, Medical Faculty, Rotterdam.