Electroretinogram changes following silicone oil removal

To evaluate electroretinogram [ERG] changes after silicone oil removal. Scotopic and photopic ERGs, and best-corrected visual acuity [BCVA] were checked before and shortly after silicone oil removal in eyes that had previously undergone vitrectomy and silicone oil injection for complex retinal detachment. Pre- and postoperative ERG a- and b-wave amplitudes were compared. Twenty-eight eyes of 28 patients including 20 male and 8 female subjects with mean age of 39.3 +/- 0.06 [range, 12 to 85] years were studied. Mean interval from primary vitreoretinal surgery to silicone oil removal was 21.04 +/- 0.52 [range, 7 to 39] months. Mean duration from silicone oil removal to second ERG was 13.04 +/- 1.75 [range, 10 to 16] days. Before silicone oil removal, mean a-wave amplitudes in maximal combined response, rod response and cone response ERGs were 27.4 +/- 19.9, 7.2 +/- 4.5 and 5.5 +/- 3.4 micro v, respectively. These values increased to 48.8 +/- 31.9, 15.1 +/- 14.4 and 17.4 +/- 22.2 micro, respectively after silicone oil removal [P < 0.001]. Mean b-wave amplitudes in the same order, were 69.41 +/- 51, 41.2 +/- 30.4 and 25.1 +/- 33.9 microvolts before silicone oil removal, increasing to 165.6 +/- 102.5, 81.7 +/- 53.7 and 44.7 +/- 34.1 micro respectively, after silicone oil removal [P < 0.001]. Mean BCVA significantly improved from 1.10 +/- 0.34 at baseline to 1.02 +/- 0.33 logMAR after silicone oil removal [P < 0.001]. The amplitudes of ERG a- and b-waves under scotopic and photopic conditions increased significantly shortly after silicone oil removal. An increase in BCVA was also observed. These changes may be explained by the insulating effect of silicone oil on the retina

Increased latency of visual evoked potentials in healthy women during menstruation

To evaluate the latency of visual evoked potentials [VEPs] in healthy women during and after menstruation. Pattern and flash VEPs were performed in 15 healthy women aged 18 to 25 years on the maximum bleeding day [luteal phase] and 7 days after the menstrual cycle [follicular phase]. Mean latency was 119.6 msec on the maximum bleeding day and 100.8 msec one week after menstruation on pattern VEP [P < 0.001]. Corresponding values for flash VEP were 124.5 msec and 112.7 msec, respectively [P < 0.001]. Prolonged VEP latency on the maximum bleeding day indicates that high progesterone levels may have an inhibitory effect on optic nerve conduction velocity