Electroretinography: A biopotential to assess the function/dysfunction of the retina

QUINTEROS QUINTANA, MARIA LUZ; BENEDETTO MARIA MERCEDES; MALDONADO, ANA CAROLINA; VERA DE PAYER, ELIZABETH; CONTIN MARIA ANA

Congreso; XX Congreso Argentino de Bioingeniería y IX Jornadas de Ingeniería Clínica; 2016

The Electroretinography (ERG) is a noninvasive technique that allows the assessment of functional integrity of the retina. The ERG recordings are biopotencials acquired in the corneal surface as a response of retinal tissue against controlled light stimuli. In clinical ophthalmology ERG is not commonly used but nowadays, because of the high incidence of degenerative diseasesof the retina (RD), its use should be increased. Like other biopotentials as electrocardiography (ECG), electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyography (EMG), ERG is a low amplitude signal, in this case a few hundred of microvolts (µV), which must be fitted and processed. The ERG signals are affected in morphology in the presence of pathologies that affects the integrityof the different retinal cell groups, for example due to some RD. In advanced cases of RD recordings can be abolished in the time domain; and yet in them it is believed that there is relevant clinical information making the ERG a great potential diagnostic tool.