The Human Electroretinogram

Previous speakers have shown the progress in understanding visual problems that has been achieved by experimentation on animals. By comparison, the human being is obviously a poor subject for physiological studies because of the limitation that we may not inflict damage or even serious discomfort upon the person. Thus we must forever remain on the outside, trying to look in. We may recall, however, that the human electrocardiogram has been useful despite the necessity for an external location of the recording electrodes. Progress has likewise been made in the 28 years of research on the human electroencephalogram. It turns out that the eye, like the heart and the brain, can be made to yield significant information about its activity through the use of electrical recording techniques. It is the purpose of the present paper to assess the progress that has been achieved to date on the human electroretinogram or ERG.