Effect of refractive error on visual evoked potentials with pattern stimulation in dogs

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of refractive error on canine visual evoked potentials with pattern stimulation (P-VEP). Six normal beagle dogs were used. The refractive power of the recorded eyes was measured by skiascopy. The refractive power was corrected to -4 diopters (D) to +2 D using contact lens. P-VEP was recorded at each refractive power. The stimulus pattern size and distance were 50.3 arc-min and 50 cm. The P100 appeared at almost 100 msec at -2 D (at which the stimulus monitor was in focus). There was significant prolongation of the P100 implicit time at -4, -3, 0 and +1 D compared with -2 D, respectively. We concluded that the refractive power of the eye affected the P100 implicit time in canine P-VEP recording.