Visual evoked potentials in occipital lobe lesions.

Recording of visual evoked potentials (VEPs) to pattern reversal is considered to be a reliable diagnostic procedure for examining patients with anterior visual pathway lesions (optic nerves and chiasm). Less consistent results have been reported in studies of more posterior lesions. The VEPs were recorded in 20 patients with occipital lobe lesions. A maximal VEP response (P94) was recorded at the scalp electrodes situated over the involved occipital lobes and contralateral to the hemianoptic visual field defect, indicating a positive correlation of unilateral occipital lobe lesions, homonymous visual field loss, and the VEP abnormality.