Caner BAYDAR, Abdullah YILGÖR, Nurşin ÇAPLIK
Van Medical Journal - 2026;33(3):308-312
Introduction: Boxing is a contact sport associated with repetitive head impacts that may lead to visual disturbances. This study aimed to evaluate subclinical visual pathway function in elite amateur boxers using visual evoked potentials (VEP). Materials and Methods: Twenty-four amateur boxers and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were prospectively evaluated. Visual pathway conduction was assessed using pattern-reversal VEP recordings obtained separately from each eye. Peak latencies of waveform components and interocular latency differences were analyzed. Results: P100 latency values were significantly prolonged in both the right and left eyes of boxers compared with controls (p < 0.05). Interocular P100 latency differences greater than 8 ms were observed in a subset of participants. No significant differences were found in N75 or N135 latencies. Additionally, no significant correlation was observed between boxing duration and P100 latency. Conclusion: Amateur boxing may be associated with mild alterations in optic nerve conduction detectable by VEP. However, the lack of association with boxing duration suggests that exposure time alone may not explain these changes. These findings highlight the potential of VEP as a non-invasive tool for detecting early functional alterations in the visual system.
