Significant correlations between focal photopic negative response and focal visual sensitivity and ganglion cell complex thickness in glaucomatous eyes

Purpose To determine whether there are significant correlations between the focal photopic negative response (PhNR), the focal visual sensitivity and the ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness in glaucomatous eyes. Study design Single-center observational study. Methods Fifty-two eyes of 52 patients (71.4 ± 9.42 years) with clinically diagnosed open angle glaucoma were studied. Thirty-six age-matched normal subjects served as controls. The focal PhNR of the focal macular electroretinograms (fmERGs) were elicited by a 15° circular, a superior semicircular or an inferior semicircular stimulus centered on the fovea. The thickness of the GCC was measured in the corresponding retinal areas in the spectral-domain optical coherence tomographic images. The visual sensitivities (dB) were measured by microperimetry at the retinal area where the fmERGs were elicited and were converted to liner values (1/Lambert). Results The focal PhNR amplitudes were significantly correlated with the visual sensitivities of the full-circle ( R = 0.532), the superior ( R = 0.530) and inferior ( R = 0.526) semicircular responses ( P