Skip to main content

The one-stop resource for eye care providers

Contact LensesMedicationsGlossarySchoolsHandoutsCalculators

Glossary

238 terms

From aberrant regeneration to zylonite, find concise definitions of ophthalmic terms and optical concepts.

All 238 terms →

visual evoked potentials

Visual evoked potentials (VEPs) are small cortical potentials elicited by visual stimuli and recorded from electrodes on the patient's scalp. A VEP is on the order of 5 μV and sits within an electroencephalogram of about 60 μV.1 Many responses are therefore averaged to produce an accurate reading.2 The VEP shows whether the visual system is intact from retina to visual cortex, but the test says nothing about what the patient perceives.2

Sources (25)
  1. Schwartz, Visual Perception: A Clinical Orientation, ch. 16
  2. Duckman, Visual Development, Diagnosis, and Treatment of the Pediatric Patient, ch. 2
  3. Liu, Volpe and Galetta, Neuro-Ophthalmology: Diagnosis and Management, ch. 3
  4. Liu, Volpe and Galetta, Neuro-Ophthalmology: Diagnosis and Management, ch. 11
  5. Creel, D.J. (2015). Visually Evoked Potentials. Webvision. [online] Available at: https://webvision.med.utah.edu/book/electrophysiology/visually-evoked-potentials/ [Accessed 7 May 2024]. secondary
  6. Odom, J.V., Bach, M., Brigell, M., Holder, G.E., McCulloch, D.L., Mizota, A. and Tormene, A.P. (2016). ISCEV standard for clinical visual evoked potentials: (2016 update). Documenta Ophthalmologica, 133(1), pp.1-9.
  7. Sharma, R., Joshi, S., Singh, K.D. and Kumar, A. (2015). Visual evoked potentials: normative values and gender differences. Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research, 9(7), pp.CC12-CC15.
  8. Tobimatsu, S. and Celesia, G.G. (2006). Studies of human visual pathophysiology with visual evoked potentials. Clinical Neurophysiology, 117(7), pp.1414-1433.
  9. Walsh, P., Kane, N. and Butler, S. (2005). The clinical role of evoked potentials. Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, 76(suppl 2), pp.ii16-ii22.
  10. Citations:
  11. jov.arvojournals.org: article.aspx?articleid=2291652
  12. PubMed Central: PMC4789528
  13. connect.springerpub.com: ch02
  14. Nature: s41597-021-01116-1
  15. PubMed Central: PMC4572953
  16. sydneynorthneurology.com.au: visual-evoked-potential-vep
  17. PubMed Central: PMC7141918
  18. PubMed Central: NBK582128 secondary
  19. American Academy of Ophthalmology: clinical-visual-electrophysiology-visual-evoked-po
  20. EyeWiki: VER%29
  21. lkc.com: visual-evoked-potential-vep-explained
  22. Springer: 978-3-030-36955-2
  23. reviewob.com: vep-instrumentation-to-enhance-your-medical-eyecare-services
  24. hopkinsmedicine.org: sensory-evoked-potentials-studies
  25. psycnet.apa.org: 1982-11528-001

Read the full entry →

Handouts

9 PDFs

Everything from Amsler grids for your patients to clinical guides and tables to use in your practice.

All handouts →

Binocular Vision Expected Values

1 page

Expected values for phoria, AC/A, smooth and step vergence ranges, vergence facility, NPC, and accommodative testing (amplitude, facility, MEM, NRA and PRA).

Download PDFEspañol PDF

NBEO®* Part I Prep

1,816 questions

Timed practice exams with worked explanations and a score breakdown by topic. The first half of Exam 1 is free.

Open exam prep →

EyeKnow O.D. Pro adds 3 more full-length exams and custom drills from all 1,816 questions. $179 for 12 months, intro price to March 18, 2027. See Pro plans →

Question of the day · free, no account

Choose one answer
Next: try the first half of Exam 1 The first half of Exam 1 is free, 185 questions

*EyeKnow O.D. is an independent study tool. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NBEO®). “NBEO” is used here only to indicate exam coverage.