Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography measured Retinal blood flow in Chinese American adults: The Chinese American Eye Study

Abstract

Purpose: To measure total retinal blood flow (TRBF) in normal, healthy adult Chinese Americans using Doppler Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT).

Methods: Two hundred sixty-six normal, healthy Chinese American adults who were a part of the population-based Chinese American Eye Study (CHES) underwent a complete eye examination and Doppler OCT imaging using a standardized, double circular scan protocol consisting of eight circumpapillary circles which transected all major blood vessels entering/exiting the optic nerve head. Scans were then imported into a Doppler OCT of Retinal Circulation (DOCTORC) grading software, to calculate total retinal blood flow and other vascular parameters.

Results: 266 eyes of 266 participants were evaluated. The mean age of the study participants was 57.4 ± 5.6 (range: 50−82) years. The mean TRBF was 49.6 ± 10.9 (range: 30.3 - 79.8). Superior retinal hemisphere blood flow (25.60 ± 6.70 µl/min) was greater than inferior retinal hemisphere blood flow (24.01 ± 7.68 µl/min, P = 0.006). The mean blood flow velocity was 15.21 ± 3.05 mm/s. TRBF was lower in older persons compared to those who were younger (r = -0.17, P = 0.006). TRBF was also lower in persons with longer axial length compared to those with shorter axial length (r = -0.34, P = <0.0001).

Conclusions: Normal Doppler OCT-derived total retinal blood flow varies in a Chinese American population. These observations provide normative data to assess the TRBF in persons with eye disease.

Keywords: 436 blood supply • 688 retina