Application of visually evoked response near the threshold of vision to objective measurement of dark adaptation.

The visually evoked response (VER) to dim lights with intensities within the scotopic or lower mesopic range increased in amplitude during the progressive dark adaptation. The VER amplitude vs. time curve resembled the psychophysical dark adaptation curve. The spectral sensitivity curve of the dark-adapted VER matched the C.I.E. scotopic sensitivity curve. The dark-adapted VER was abnormal in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and with congenital stationary night blindness and recordable in a patient with cone dysfunction. There was a close correlation between the VER threshold and subjective threshold of visual perception. The dark-adapted VER may be useful as an objective index of dark adaptation.