Latency of the mfVEP to diagnose glaucoma?
- Correspondence to: Michael Bach Sektion Funktionelle Sehforschung, Universitäts-Augenklinik Freiburg, Germany; michael.bach{at}uni-freiburg.de
The multifocal approach is a truly innovative technique
Correct identification of early dysfunction, before the onset of irreversible glaucomatous damage, is a holy grail in glaucoma research. Rodarte et al, in this issue of BJO (p 1132), present a predominantly negative report in that respect.1 While disappointing, negative results are vitally important and often fall prey to publication bias.2,3 Of the many approaches including morphological imaging and functional testing, these authors used an advanced electrophysiological technique, specifically the multifocal visual evoked potential (mfVEP).4 Visual electrophysiology assesses, step by step, the function of the visual processing chain. It has progressed from its classic arsenal of “three letter examinations” (ERG, electroretinogram5; EOG, electro-oculogram6; VEP, visual evoked potential7) to four (PERG, pattern ERG8) and five letter methods (mfERG9/mfVEP, mf representing “multifocal”).
Although each of these techniques …
