Abstract
PURPOSE. To compare the sensitivity of the photopic negative\ud response (PhNR) from the shortwave (S)-sensitive and the long\ud (L)- and medium (M)-wave–sensitive cone electroretinograms\ud (ERGs), with the pattern electroretinogram (PERG) in the early\ud stages of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).\ud METHODS. Eighteen patients under treatment for diagnosed\ud POAG and 19 normal control subjects were investigated. Scone\ud ERGs were elicited using adaptation to 650-nm light to\ud suppress L-cone activity, and substitution between 450 nm and\ud 535 nm to silence M-cone response at luminances higher than\ud rod saturation. PhNRs from the L&M-cone pathways were\ud elicited by a 200-msec pulse of red light (650 nm) on a continuous\ud blue (450 nm) background. PERGs were recorded in\ud accordance with the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology\ud of Vision (ISCEV) standard.\ud RESULTS. Each method showed a statistically significant difference\ud in the two groups. The S-cone PhNR was the most\ud sensitive test and provided the most statistically significant\ud results, with the largest area enclosed by the receiver operating\ud characteristic (ROC) curve.\ud CONCLUSIONS. The findings indicate that all three types of ERG\ud may be useful in glaucoma investigation. The L- and M-cone\ud PhNRs may have a role in monitoring established glaucoma.\ud The previously reported high sensitivity of the PERG was\ud confirmed. Extensive diffuse damage to S-cone bipolar and\ud bistratified ganglion cells appears to occur at a very early stage\ud in POAG, owing to a pressure-related mechanism, and the\ud S-cone PhNR was the most sensitive test. It may in future have\ud an important role in diagnosis and monitoring of early glaucoma.\ud Further investigation of this possibility is recommended