Structure-function relationship between handheld photopic negative response and macular GCIPL thickness in chronic optic neuropathy.

Authors

Yuri Seo, Dongheon Surl, Jinu Han

Published in

Documenta ophthalmologica. Advances in ophthalmology. Jun 24, 2026. Epub Jun 24, 2026.

Abstract

To determine whether photopic negative response (PhNR) parameters obtained using a handheld electroretinography (ERG) device reflect quantitative indicators of residual retinal ganglion cell (RGC)-driven inner retinal function and how these functional measures relate to OCT-derived structural metrics in chronic unilateral non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy (ON).
In this retrospective observational study, 27 patients (54 eyes) with unilateral chronic ON were examined using handheld full-field photopic ERG (RETeval™, LKC Technologies) without pupil dilation or corneal electrodes. Several ERG parameters, including the PhNR72 amplitude, PhNR minimum amplitude, P-ratio, and W-ratio, were analyzed. Optical coherence tomography (OCT)-derived ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL) and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses, and Humphrey field analyzer (HFA) indices were acquired on the same day. Linear mixed-effects models accounting for intereye correlation and false discovery rate (FDR) correction were used to assess structure-function relationships.
ON eyes showed significantly reduced PhNR72 and PhNR minimum amplitudes, and lower P-ratio (PhNR72/b-wave) and W-ratio (PhNR minimum/(b-wave minus a-wave) (all p < 0.01) compared with unaffected eyesof the patients. In multivariable models, the W-ratio was independently associated with GCIPL thickness in the inferotemporal sector (β = 0.45; 95% CI, 0.22-0.68; FDR-adjusted p < 0.05), whereas no significant associations were found with RNFL thickness or HFA indices.
Handheld photopic ERG-derived PhNR parameters, particularly the W-ratio, are selectively associated with GCIPL thickness, suggesting preferential coupling with RGC-driven inner retinal function rather than axonal or field-level measures. Thus, portable ERG provides a practical functional biomarker complementary to OCT for evaluating residual RGC-driven inner retinal function in chronic ON.

PMID:
42340564
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 24 Jun 2026.

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