The electroretinogram in minimal diabetic retinopathy.

The pattern and diffuse flash electroretinograms were measured in 20 normal subjects and 40 diabetic patients who had either normal fundi or microaneurysms only. The amplitudes of the pattern electroretinogram were found to be similar in both normals and diabetics. In the case of the flash electroretinogram the diabetic patients showed a division into two main groups. One group was not dissimilar to the group of normal subjects, while the second group showed hypernormal amplitudes. No explanation could be given, from the data collected, for this subdivision, though it is suggested it might reflect the degree of metabolic disturbance.