Electrophysiology versus psychophysics in the detection of visual loss in pseudotumor cerebri.

This study compared visual evoked potentials (VEP) and contrast sensitivity (CS) as methods of detecting visual loss in 15 women with acute onset of pseudotumor cerebri (PTC). A total of 24 out of 30 eyes (14 of 15 patients) had a visual disturbance. Neuro-ophthalmologic examination demonstrated abnormal Goldmann visual fields in 13 of 30 eyes. CS was abnormal in 18 eyes; VEP was abnormal in five eyes. Nine eyes had visual loss detected by CS only, five by perimetry only, and one had the VEP as the sole abnormality. CS was a valuable adjunct to perimetry in PTC whereas VEP was rarely helpful.