No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

JEAN NORDMANN who is being honored today has left an imprint on many fields of ophthalmology. But the field with which his name is most closely associated is that of the biology of the crystalline lens. It is for this reason that we have chosen to present a note on the influence of senile cataracts on the responses obtained in human ERG*.It is generally stated in the literature that clouding of the refractive media of the eye (including senile cataracts) has of itself no effect on the electric responses of the retina and that there are no significant differences in the ERG obtained pre-and post-operatively (KARPE & VAINIO-MATTILA (1951) and others). There is no reason why it should be otherwise. Provided the light stimulus can reach the retina, a response commensurate to the retinal illumination should be achieved, as long as the retina itself is in a normally functioning state. Yet the question remains how much light does reach the retina in eyes with cataractouslenses. Clearly, a certain amount of light must be absorbed by such lenses and mature, brunescent lenses undoubtedly absorb a considerable amount. One would, therefore, expect in such eyes a larger ERG post-operatively than preoperatively. This is, indeed, the case; and KARPE • VAINIO-MATTILA, who were mainly interested in ERG as a functional test for cataractous eyes, state accordingly that it is in some instances necessary to use a more intense light stimulus to obtain a 'normal' ERG.