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The PERG as a Tool for Early Detection and Monitoring of Glaucoma

  • Diagnosis and Monitoring of Glaucoma (R Kuchtey, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of the Review

The clinical management of glaucoma is currently focused on manifest stages of the diseases at which there are congruent losses of visual function and optic nerve tissue. Identification of patients at risk of developing glaucoma remains a challenge. Detection of retinal ganglion cell dysfunction in glaucoma suspects may represent a way of identifying patients at high-risk glaucoma and thus provide both a rationale and a target for treatment to change the natural history of the disease. This report provides a review of the current applications of the pattern electroretinogram (PERG) to investigate electrical responsiveness of retinal ganglion cells in early glaucoma.

Recent Findings

While the PERG technique has been in use since the 1980’s, only recently PERG methods have been developed with skin electrodes and automated analysis that expand the PERG application in the clinical setting.

Summary

The PERG may be altered at stages of glaucoma that precede losses of visual field and optic nerve tissue. PERG alterations may be progressive and reversible after IOP lowering. PERG alterations may be inducible in susceptible eyes of patients at risk of glaucoma.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. McKnight Vision Research Center, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Vittorio Porciatti & Lori M. Ventura

Authors
  1. Vittorio Porciatti
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  2. Lori M. Ventura
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Correspondence to Vittorio Porciatti.

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Conflict of Interest

Vittorio Porciatti and Lori M. Ventura declare no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Financial Support

NIH-NEI RO1 EY014957 (VP), NIH-NEI center grant P30 EY014801 (VP), and by an unrestricted grant to Bascom Palmer Eye Institute from Research to Prevent Blindness.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Diagnosis and Monitoring of Glaucoma

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Porciatti, V., Ventura, L.M. The PERG as a Tool for Early Detection and Monitoring of Glaucoma. Curr Ophthalmol Rep 5, 7–13 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40135-017-0128-1

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