Abstract
Purpose: :
To examine the effect of acetazolamide on the human multifocal electroretinogram and the retinal vessel diameter in diabetic patients.
Methods: :
MfERGs and fundus photos were recorded in 5 eyes of 5 diabetic patients before and 60 min after intravenous administration of 500 mg acetazolamide. MfERGs were recorded using the Veris 5 system. An array of 61 hexagons was displayed at a frame rate of 75 Hz and 3 dark frames were inserted between each m-sequence step. Retinal vessel diameters were measured from fundus photographs using a digital technique. The study followed the tenets of the Declaration of Helsinki.
Results: :
The carbonic anhydrase inhibitor acetazolamide reduced mean retinal vessel diameter by 3.2% and increased mean mfERG amplitudes by 5.3% in diabetic patients.
Keywords: carbonic anhydrase • diabetes • electrophysiology: non-clinical