New Electroretinogram Assessment for Early Glaucoma Detection

Detecting sub-clinical abnormal retinal activities caused by early glaucomatous changes and predicting glaucomatous progression

Glaucoma is a chronic eye disease that shows no symptoms in early stages. Risk factors for developing it include high intra-ocular pressure, high myopia and a family history with glaucoma. To diagnose glaucoma, a standard clinical test called Visual Field testing is usually used. However, it is reported that only after the patient loses about 25% of his retinal neurons can a change be detected.

Recently, the Spectral-domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD OCT) test is used to measure the thickness of the retinal tissue for glaucoma detection. However, the change of structural thickness is also related to the loss of neurons. Hence, this test cannot be used to detect early changes in glaucoma either. In light of this, PolyU has developed a new protocol of multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG), which can detect glaucomatous damage before the onset of structural changes, and to test the retinal functions that are primarily affected by early glaucoma.

Multifocal electroretinogram measurement

Schematic diagram showing the paradigm of the measurement

Statistically significant reduction of retinal function in both the affected and fellow eyes of the glaucoma subjects when compared with the control group

Special Features and Advantages

Can detect abnormal retinal responses in high risk cases before any clinical manifestation is found in conventional clinical assessments
Can detect abnormal retinal responses in early glaucoma at least 3-4 years before any manifest damage is detected in conventional clinical assessments

Applications

Support practitioners to detect early glaucomatous changes, so that patients can receive appropriate treatments as early as possible to save the vision
Predict the progression of glaucoma

Principal Investigator

Dr CHAN Ho Lung Henry

School of Optometry

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