58 patients (40 men, 18 women) affected by high-grade carotid stenosis were examined using automated perimetry and electroretinography. Patients’ ages ranged from 53 to 83 years with a mean of 67 years.We examined 29 patients with unilateral and 29 patients with bilateral symptomatic stenosis of carotid arteries and cerebrovascular alterations, withouth ocular changes. Visual field defects were found by 41 patients (70.6 %), by 51.3 % patients there were mild or middle defects, by 48.7 % hard defects. The results using electroretinography showed significant amplitude decrease and prolonged latencies of the oscillatory potentials on ipsilateral side in unilateral cases. Significant decrease of amplitudes OP2 in patients after the attack of amaurosis fugax has been observed too. The critical value of this amplitude was estimated to 37
V. High-grade stenosis of carotid arteries are accompanied by visual field defects and electric retinal functions disorders at the time when objective finding on the fundus is normal. The cause of these disorders might be decreased arterial perfusion or microembolization. The perimetry and ERG findings didn’t corelate, nevertheless both tests can be useful for detection of early retinal alterations and represent a help-method to determine indications for carotid endarterectomy.

        Key words: high-grade carotid stenosis,computer perimetry, electroretinography, amaurosis fugax