You may have heard your eye doctor tell a staff member or yourself that they are ordering a test for you called an ERG. This term may not mean anything to you but may sound familiar to other tests you may have heard other doctors order. An EKG would be the common test you have heard of where they test the electrical impulses of your heart. An ERG, or Electroretinography is defined as a test that measures the electrical response of the light-sensitive cells (rods and cones) of the back of the eye called the retina.
ERG’s can be used to test for different eye conditions including Macular Degeneration, Glaucoma, and Diabetic Macular Edema to name a few. The tests is administered by placing probes on certain parts of your head and eyes. The patient looks at a black and white checkerboard screen The probes will measure the electrical impulse that goes from the eye to the brain where we process vision. The measurements are calculated and compared to a normative data base for comparison. Depending on the eye condition, it can affect how the impulse is travelling to the brain. This information can guide the doctor towards a treatment or a prognosis for the condition found.
The specific system that is used at Solinsky Eyecare is Diopsys. This machine also can administer a VEP test that has been discussed previously. Please call (860) 233-2020 to schedule an eye exam today and your eye doctor can let you know if an ERG would be right for you and your eyes.
