Standards, Guidelines and Extended Protocols

Since 1989, ISCEV has published international Clinical Standards for the conducting and reporting of visual electrodiagnostic tests. These Standards are evidence-based and describe best practice for safe, high quality diagnostics. ISCEV is a member-based nonprofit organization comprising hundreds of experts who participate collaboratively to develop and publish five ISCEV  Standards. Regular revision allows for innovation and improvements.

Standards are restricted to only those fundamental tests which are independent and have important, validated clinical indications. The five Standards are: the full-field ERG (retinal function, comprises 6 sub-tests); the pattern ERG (macula & ganglion cell function); the multifocal ERG (spatially discriminating retinal function); the EOG (retinal pigment epithelium function) and the VEP (post-retinal visual pathway function).

Current ISCEV Standards

mfERG  (= multifocal ERG)

Hoffmann MB, Bach M, Kondo M, Li S, Walker S, Holopigian K, Viswanathan S, Robson AG (2021) ISCEV standard for clinical multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) (2021 update). Doc Ophthalmol 142:5–16  [→PDF]

Translated by the Chinese Visual Physiology Society in Chinese Ophthalmology Society:
ISCEV standard for clinical multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) (2011 edition) [Translated by Chinese Visual Physiology Society in Chinese Ophthalmology Society] Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, December, 2020, 56(12):899-906. DOI,  https://rs.yiigle.com/CN112142202012/1303373.htm

ERG

Robson AG, Frishman LJ, Grigg J, Hamilton R, Jeffrey BG, Kondo M, Li S, McCulloch DL (2022) ISCEV Standard for full-field clinical electroretinography (2022 update). Doc Ophthalmol 144(1):165–177  [→PDF]

2015-version translated by the Chinese Visual Physiology Society in Chinese Ophthalmology Society:
ISCEV Standard for full-field clinical electroretinography (2015 update). Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, September, 2020, 56(9):662-669. DOI,  https://rs.yiigle.com/CN112142202009/1237479.htm

EOG

Constable PA, Bach M, Frishman L, Jeffrey BG, Robson AG (2017) ISCEV Standard for Clinical Electro-oculography (2017 update). Doc Ophthalmol 134(1):1–9  [→PDF]

Erratum (switch to open access, correction of one axis label in a figure):
Constable PA, Bach M, Frishman LJ, Jeffrey BG, Robson AG; International Society for Clinical Electrophysiology of Vision (2017) Erratum to: ISCEV Standard for clinical electro-oculography (2017 update). Doc Ophthalmol 134(2):155

PERG  (= Pattern ERG)

Thompson DA, Bach M, McAnany JJ, Šuštar Habjan M, Viswanathan S, Robson AG (2024) ISCEV standard for clinical pattern electroretinography (2024 update). Doc Ophthalmol 148:75–85  [→PDF]

VEP

Odom JV, Bach M, Brigell M, Holder GE, McCulloch DLL, Mizota A, Tormene AP (2016) ISCEV standard for clinical visual evoked potentials – (2016 update). Doc Ophthalmol 133(1):1–9

VEP Standard, free from Springer [and since, due to some glitch, it's not free, here the →PDF]

Translated by Chinese Visual Physiology Society in Chinese Ophthalmology Society:
ISCEV standard for clinical visual evoked potentials: (2016 update). Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, August, 2020, 56(8): 587–592. DOI,  https://rs.yiigle.com/CN2021/1227392.htm

Note: this Standard is currently under revision - scroll to bottom of this page for a link to the current version

Guidelines

ISCEV guide to visual electrodiagnostic procedures (2018)

Robson AG, Nilsson J, Li S, Jalali S, Fulton AB, Tormene AP, Holder GE, Brodie SE (2018) ISCEV guide to visual electrodiagnostic procedures. Doc Ophthalmol 136:1–26  [→PDF]

Translated by Chinese Visual Physiology Society in Chinese Ophthalmology Society:
ISCEV guide to visual electrodiagnostic procedures. Chinese Journal of Ophthalmology, July, 2020, 56(7): 492–508.  DOI,  https://rs.yiigle.com/CN112142202007/1206232.htm

ISCEV guidelines for calibration and verification of stimuli and recording instruments (2023 update)

McCulloch DL, Bach M, Brigell M, Chan H, Hamilton R, Hogg C, Odom JV, Robson AG (2023) ISCEV guidelines for calibration and verification of stimuli and recording instruments (2023 update). Doc Ophthalmol 146:199–210  [→PDF]

ISCEV and IPS guideline for the full-field stimulsu test (FST) (2024)

Jolly JK, Grigg JR, McKendrick AM, Fujinami K, Cideciyan AV, Thompson DA, Matsumoto C, Asaoka R, Johnson C, Dul MW, Artes PH, Robson AG (2024) ISCEV and IPS guideline for the full-field stimulus test (FST). Doc Ophthalmol

Extended Protocols

ISCEV approves Extended Protocols that specify rigorous procedures for applications such as non-standard diagnostic testing and clinical trials. Process for Proposal, Review and Approval of Extended Protocols 2009 [PDF].

All links will download the pertinent PDF.

• Hamilton R, Bach M, Heinrich SP, Hoffmann MB, Odom JV, McCulloch DL, Thompson DA (2021) ISCEV extended protocol for estimating visual acuity using VEP spatial frequency thresholds. Doc Ophthalmol 142:17–24
  
  
• Brigell M, Jeffrey BG, Mahroo OA, Tzekov R (2020) ISCEV extended protocol for derivation and analysis of the strong flash rod-isolated ERG a-wave. Doc Ophthalmol 140:5–12
  
  
• Perlman I, Kondo M, Chelva E, Robson AG, Holder GE (2020) ISCEV extended protocol for the S-cone ERG. Doc Ophthalmol 140:95–101
  
  
• Johnson MA, Jeffrey BG, Messias AMV, Robson AG (2019) ISCEV extended protocol for the stimulus–response series for the dark-adapted full-field ERG b-wave. Doc Ophthalmol 138:217–227
  
  
• McCulloch DL, Kondo M, Hamilton R, Lachapelle O, Messias AMV, Robson AG, Ueno S (2019) ISCEV extended protocol for the stimulus–response series for light-adapted full-field ERG. Doc Ophthalmol138:205–215
  
  
• Frishman L, Sustar M, Kremers J, McAnany JJ, Sarossy M, Tzekov R, Viswanathan S (2018) ISCEV extended protocol for the photopic negative response (PhNR) of the full-field electroretinogram. Doc Ophthalmol 136:207–211
  
  
• Thompson D, Fujinami K, Perlman I, Hamilton R, Robson AG (2018) ISCEV extended protocol for the dark-adapted red flash ERG. Doc Ophthalmol 136:191–197
  
  
• Sustar M, Holder GE, Kremers J, Barnes CS, Lei B, Khan NW, Robson AG (2018) ISCEV extended protocol for the photopic On–Off ERG. Doc Ophthalmol 136:199–206

Standards in preparation

ISCEV seeks reviews and comments on standards in preparation prior to publication. All links will download the pertinent PDF.

ISCEV standard for clinical visual evoked potentials (2025 update draft)