AIM:To observe the performance of pattern visual evoked potential(PVEP)in normal eyes and eyes with different diseases and learn the meaning of PVEP in the assessment of different eye diseases.METHODS:Sixty-seven patients with different eye diseases and 48 volunteers with normal visual acuity were examined by PVEP for comparative analysis of different changes in the waveform characteristics of PVEP in different eye diseases.RESULTS:Compared with the normal eyes,the PVEP amplitude of eyes with central serous choroidoretinopathy in acute phase,retinitis pigmentosa with significantly reduced visual field,open angle glaucoma with significant defect of visual field,traumatic optic neuropathy and amblyopia was decreased and latency was delayed,but the difference of the latency of P1 and N1,amplitude of(P1+N1) between normal eyes and eyes of retinitis pigmentosa without reduced visual field and open angle glaucoma without significant defect of visual field was not significant.CONCLUSION:PVEP is sensitive to macular disease,but is not sensitive to the peripheral visual field damage.Amplitude changes are more sensitive than the latency in the two components changes of PVEP waveform.PVEP can be used to determine the prognosis of patients visual acuity in ocular trauma cases with optic nerve damage and also help to identify patients and follow-up treatment effect in the amblyopic cases.