Multi-Focal Electro-Retinagram...

Multi-Focal Electro-Retinagram - MERG

How the test is performed:

• The patient is given dilating eye drops and numbing eye drops. Once numb and dilated, the patient is fitted with electrode contact lenses that are enclosed in an ocular restraint which prevents blinking. The other eye is taped shut. The patient views a black and white flickering pattern for eight complete minutes for each eye. These eight minute blocks are broken up into sixteen 30 second segments to ensure reduced electronic noise is recorded. Bad segments are thrown out. The entire test usually takes two hours.

• The test, while not painful, is rather staining on the eye and requires a good deal of concentration. At the end of the test some patients feel some eye pain or just general fatigue. Mild back pain may also be reported due to long periods of sitting upright and still.