Retinal oximetry in eye diseases and neurological diseases

BMC Seminar Thursday 9th of December, 12:00 on Zoom.

Speaker: Sveinn Hákon Harðarson, associate professor at the Institute of Physiology, Medical Faculty, University of Iceland

Title: Retinal oximetry in eye diseases and neurological diseases

Abstract: The retina of the eye generates electrical signals for our vision. The retina is supplied with oxygen by the choroidal vasculature from the outside and by retinal blood vessels from the inside. Changes in retinal blood flow and oxygenation are believed to be involved in various eye diseases and can also be seen in some central nervous system diseases.

Retinal oximetry is the measurement of oxygen saturation in retinal blood vessels. The technique is based on imaging of the retina and the fact that blood changes colour with changes in oxygen saturation. Our research group has developed a retinal oximeter and accompanying software in collaboration with the company Oxymap. Our group and others have found abnormal retinal oxygenation in various diseases, such as retinal vessel occlusions, diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma and Alzheimer’s.

An overview will be given of the retinal oximetry technique and examples of results will be shown.