Purpose: To assess the retinal function in patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL).
Patients: Studies were undertaken in 12 patients (17 eyes) with detected VHL gene mutation and 12 normal healthy controls (17 eyes).
Methods: Pattern ERG (PERG), standard flash electroretinogram (ERG) recordings were performed in accordance with the International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (ISCEV) standards.
Results: In VHL patients, electrophysiological statistically significant changes were found. In PERG examination, increased latency of P50 was found in the total VHL group (p < 0.02) and in the VHL subgroup with retinal angiomas (p < 0.04). In ERG examination, photopic b-wave latency was increased in the total VHL group (p < 0.03) and also in the VHL subgroup without retinal angiomas (p < 0.05). In OPs, latency increase of OP2, OP3 waves and reduced amplitude of OP3 wave in the total VHL group (OP2 latency, p < 0.05; OP3 latency, p < 0.01; OP3 amplitude, p < 0.03) and in the VHL subgroup with retinal angiomas (OP2 latency, p < 0.02; OP3 latency, p < .008; OP3 amplitude, p < 0.02) were obtained.
Conclusions: It can be hypothesized that dysfunction of the inner retinal layer is present in individuals with VHL disease even in patients without retinal angiomas.