Purpose:
To test whether retinal vessel oxygen saturation is affectedin patients with branch or central retinal vein occlusion (BRVOor CRVO).
Methods:
Oxygen saturation was measured in retinal blood vessels in 11patients with BRVO and 10 patients with CRVO. The retinal oximeteris based on a fundus camera. It measures light absorbance ofretinal vessels at 586nm and 605nm and calculates hemoglobinoxygen saturation. Mean oxygen saturation was calculated for1st and 2nd degree arterioles and venules in both eyes of eachpatient.
Results:
The table shows oxygen saturation in patients with BRVO. Mean±SD.
In CRVO patients, venular oxygen saturationwas 49±12% in CRVO eyes and 65±6% in fellow eyes(n=8, p=0.003). Corresponding values for retinal arterioleswere 99±3% and 99±6% (n=8).
Conclusions:
Oxygen saturation in retinal venules is significantly lowerin patients with CRVO, when compared with healthy fellow eyes.Venular saturation is highly variable between patients in bothBRVO and CRVO. This may reflect variable completeness of occlusion,variable degrees of recanalization, collateral circulation ortissue atrophy.
Keywords: oxygen • vascular occlusion/vascular occlusive disease • imaging/image analysis: clinical