Documenta Ophthalmologica 101: 11–18, 2000. © 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Standard for pattern electroretinography MICHAEL BACH 1,* , MARKO HAWLINA 2 , GRAHAM E. HOLDER 3 , MICHAEL F. MARMOR 4 , THOMAS MEIGEN 5 , VAEGAN 6 and YOZO MIYAKE 7,* (for the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision) From 1 Univ.-Augenklinik, Freiburg, Germany; 2 University Eye Clinic, Ljubljana, Slovenia; 3 Moorfields Eye Hospital, London, UK; 4 Department of Ophthalmology, Stanford (Calif.) University School of Medicine; 5 Univ.-Augenklinik, Würzburg; Germany; 6 Visiontest Australia, Sydney, Australia; and 7 Nagoya University School of Medicine, Nagoya, Japan Accepted 25 May 2000 Abstract. The pattern electroretinogram (PERG) is a retinal response evoked by viewing an alternating checkerboard or grating. It receives clinical and research attention because it can provide information about inner retinal cells and the macula. However, clinicians may have trouble choosing between different techniques for recording the PERG that have been described in the literature. The International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision has prepared a standard for a basic PERG recording procedure to aid new users in obtaining reliable responses and to encourage more uniformity among existing users. Key words: clinical electrophysiology, electroretinogram, pattern electroretinogram Introduction The pattern electroretinogram (PERG) is a retinal biopotential that is evoked when a temporally modulated patterned stimulus of constant total luminance (checkerboard or grating) is viewed. The PERG is most often evoked by al- ternating reversal of a checkerboard pattern. It may be altered in dysfunction of the macula or of the inner retina selectively, which do not significantly af- fect the conventional full-field ERG. The PERG receives clinical and research attention in both neurological and ophthalmological practice. However, the PERG is a very small signal, typically in the region of 0.5–8 μV depending on stimulus characteristics, and PERG recording is technically more demand- ing than the conventional ERG. Recordings published in the literature vary considerably in technical quality as well as technique, and new users may find it difficult to choose which technique to use. * M. Bach chaired the PERG Standardization Committee and Y. Miyake is President of the ISCEV.