Purpose:

To evaluate the visual acuity with sweep visual evoked potential (VEP) method.

Material, Method:

We enrolled 44 subjects (27 men, 17 women) aged between 6 and 38 in our study group.Their best corrected visual acuities assesed with Snellen chart, also they had ocular motility tests.All subjects had Sweep VEP test. Sweep VEP is performed with the help of a computer program which was designed for estimation of visual acuity in noncooperating subjects. Tests were assessed from a 200 cm distance from the optoelectronic stimulator and VEP responses recorded with the reversal from 5 to 15 hz alternating decreasing pattern in 10 seconds stimulation duration. Subjects have a test range of 0,03 - 1,1 in Sweep VEP program. In a normal subject; as the pattern gets smaller the recorded amplitude response increases steadily and after reaching maximum visual acuity the amplitude decreases rapidly. Visual acuity is estimated from the response of the smallest pattern. Maximum and mean visual acuities are recorded with Sweep VEP for each eye for every case.

Results:

Estimated visual acuity values recorded with sweep VEP shows statistically significant association with subjective Snellen visual acuity values. (r = 0,324, p<0,05 for the right eye and r = 0,335 p<0,05 for the left eye with correlation analysis).

Conclusion:

Sweep VEP has the potential of an effective and objective alternative method for evaluation of visual acuity in noncooperate patients and preverbal children.

Keywords: Sweep VEP, visual acuity