Sometimes it is difficult to find out the exact point of damage in the pathway of vision or to determine how well babies can see. Each image we see is interpretated to an electrical sign. It is possible to detect this elecrical response each time a light flashes or a stimulus moves or suddenly appears. This responce comes either from retina, the light-detecting part of the eye (electro-retinogram, ERG) or the region of the brain that is responsible for vision (visual evoked potentials, VEP). We have the ability to detect all reaction that come from different stimuli through electods that are placed at the back of the head for VEP and next to the eyelids for the ERG.

These special tests may help us in the diagnosis of a dysfunction in the optical pathway, at the level of retina, optic nerve or brain cells. They also provide information about the right perception of shapes. These examinations are held daily in our Institute by trained staff, they are not at all invasive and they are completely safe for babies and infants. Local anaesthesia is not necessary. In the ERG exam we have to use eye drops for the mydriasis of the pupil. In case that a child is examined, the parental support and cooperation is very important to make the examination convenient.

Please do not forget to bring your glasses and eyeglasses with you!

Further information from:

Department of Electrophysiology

The Department of Electrophysiology of the Lab of Vision and Optics provides diagnostic services of high quality, guaranteed by the use of advanced equipment such as the Ganzfelt dome (Colordome, Diagnosys LLC), a high resolution screen, a differential signal amplifier (CED 1902 amplifier), a timing unit (CED Micro 1401), a photometer and a scpectroradiometer.

All examinations are prepared in accordance with the standards of the International Society of Clinical Electro-Vision (ISCEV) by trained personel. In all tests recording electrodes are used and there is no need of any kind of anaesthesia.

The electrophysiological tests provide us with information on the fuction of the optical path from the eye to our brain via the optic nerve. Depending on which stage of the process of the optical sign they monitor, we divide them as following: