Fast and slow oscillations of the electro-oculogram in Best's macular dystrophy and retinitis pigmentosa
R. G. Weleber
Department of Ophthalmology, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland 97201.
Fast oscillations (FOs) of the electrooculogram are fluctuations in the
corneo-fundal or standing potential of the eye that are greatest in
response to stimulation by dark and light periods of approximately 1.25
minutes each, in contrast to the slow oscillations (SOs) of the
electrooculogram, which are greatest in response to dark and light periods
of approximately 12.5 minutes each. The FOs and SOs were measured in 11
patients from four families with Best's macular dystrophy who were found to
have marked loss of the SOs with prolonged light peaks but relatively
preserved normal or near-normal FOs. A patient with autosomal recessive
retinitis pigmentosa (RP) with a pericentral distribution of pigmentary
changes also had preserved FOs of abnormal phase and markedly subnormal SO
with normal light-peak time. Six patients with early RP (two sisters with
autosomal recessive RP and four patients from three families with autosomal
dominant RP) had greater attenuation of FOs than SOs. These results can be
partially explained by consideration of the generators of these potentials
and the known pathophysiology of the two diseases.
