title: Effect of refractive errors on multifocal VEP responses and standard automated perimetry tests in a single population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We have previously reported that the degree of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) distribution overlaps between a signal window and a noise window in multifocal VEP (mfVEP) responses, which is determined by the area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve termed SNR-AUC, can quantitatively detect glaucomatous visual functional damage. However, the effect of high myopia on this parameter is not yet known.
  
  
  METHODS
  SNR-AUC, total deviation, and retinal sensitivity on the Humphrey visual field (HVF) test were compared among 34 eyes>-6 diopters (control) and 21 eyes≤-6 diopters (high myopia), both of which were ophthalmoscopically normal and had a best-corrected visual acuity of 20/20. The mfVEP and HVF parameters were obtained from stimulus areas that corresponded to both HVF 24-2 and 10-2 programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both the HVF 24-2 total deviation and the SNR-AUC obtained from 60 sectors in high-myopia patients were significantly lower compared with controls (P=0.045 and P=0.003, respectively). The SNR-AUC obtained from the central 36 sectors that corresponded to the HVF 10-2 area in high-myopia patients was also significantly lower than that of the controls (P=0.01). Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that age and refractive error were significantly associated with retinal sensitivity on the HVF 24-2 and SNR-AUC for the whole field and central field, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High myopia reduces the SNR-AUC of mfVEP responses, even with refractive correction. A normative database should be separately established for high myopes to evaluate the mfVEP responses obtained from highly myopic glaucoma patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Ophthalmology, Department of Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, 7-5-1 Kusunoki-cho, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0017, Japan, manakamu@med.kobe-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakamura
authors.forename: Kei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kato
authors.forename: Seiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kamata
authors.forename: Kumiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishikawa
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagai
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005074:Evoked Potentials, Visual / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D047728:Myopia, Degenerative / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012372:ROC Curve; D012160:Retina / Q000503:physiopathology*; D059629:Signal-To-Noise Ratio; D014792:Visual Acuity; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*