Abstract
Purpose :
To examine the link between visual function and retinal vasculature and oxygen parameters in patients with macular degenerations of various stages.
Methods :
Forty-two patients with dry macula degeneration of various degree underwent full eye examinations including intraocular pressure (I-CARE), visual field assessment (Humphrey 30-2 and 10-2 including macula threshold), ocular coherence tomography, retinal vessel oximetry, static retinal vessel parameters (CRAE, CRVE, AVR), retro-mode imaging (Nidek F-10) and blood pressure measurements.
Results :
All patients were of Caucasian origin and the mean age was 70yrs (SD 14; range: 54-85). Blood pressure and intraocular pressures were within age normal limits. There was no association between with the degree of visual field damage or disease stage as measured by the 10-2 (MD: -8.15 (8.26); PSD: 4.22 (3.89)) and 30-2 (MD: -5.37 (4.21); PSD: 4.58 (3.45)) HFA tests and retinal vessel oxygen saturation parameters (arterial saturation: 98 (3) %; venous saturation 63 (7) %). Other findings included a correlation of age with vessel oxygenation and a trend of a decrease in oxygen consumption with increasing mean arterial pressure.
Conclusions :
Retinal oxygen saturation parameters appear to be normal and not linked with the amount of damage/ loss of tissue. This does however not rule out that there might have been a change in oxygen delivery and/ or consumption prior to the retinal damage and subsequent loss of visual function.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.