AIM:To observe the characteristics of the images of global electroretinogram(ERG),multifocal electroretinogram(mfERG) and optical coherence tomonraphy(OCT) performed on the patients with retinitis pigmentosa(RP) and its clinical significance.METHODS:Fifteen RP patients(30 eyes) and fifteen normal control subjects(30 eyes) were tested with global ERG,mfERG and OCT.The data were processed with software SPSS.RESULTS:Global ERG showed the latency of b wave was significantly prolonged and its amplitude was significantly reduced in the RP group compared with normal control group.The response densities of five ring areas in RP were decreased while the latencies of ring 3,ring 4 and ring 5 were significantly prolonged compared with normal control group by mfERG.The retinal thickness of the macula was decreased compared with normal control group.Normal refractive image of thickness disappeared at fovea among the patients,but the difference was not significant.CONCLUSION:ERG can provide more information to evaluate the macular and periphery retina function effectively.OCT images in RP patients establish a correlation between known pathologic retina with RP and features evident on OCT.