Nonrecordable Electroretinogram in Vitreous Hemorrhage

A 32-year-old male sustained a dense vitreous hemorrhage following a scleral buckle procedure for a traumatic retinal detachment in his right eye. The bright-flash ERG was nonrecordable on two occasions. At pars plana vitrectomy, a dense vitreous hemorrhage was removed, and the retina was noted to be attached. The patient sub-sequently regained good vision with progressive recovery of the ERG over several months. Although a nonrecordable bright-flash electroretinogram is usually a reliable indication of a detached or severely impaired retina, recordings should be interpreted with caution in cases of dense vitreous hemorrhage, particularly if ocular penetration has occurred.