The c-wave of the human electroretinogram in central retinal artery occlusion.

The pigment epithelium-receptor complex, which is supplied from the choroidal circulation, is the main source of the c-wave of the ERG. Occlusion of the central retinal artery (OCRA), which causes serious damage to the inner retinal layers, should therefore not primarily be expected to affect the c-wave amplitude. Nevertheless, conflicting reports of increased, decreased and unchanged c-waves have appeared in the literature. In the present study on four patients with OCRA the affected eyes showed diminished b- and c-waves. On the other hand, both the a-wave and the trough between the b- and c-waves were accentuated in the diseased eyes. Experiments in progress on Cynomolgus monkeys with experimentally induced unilateral OCRA show similar results.