Retinal laser Doppler velocimetry: toward its computer-assisted clinical use

Clinical use of laser Doppler velocimetry of absolute red blood cell velocity V(max) in the center of major retinal vessels becomes possible with recent advances in microcomputer technology- Speed and automation of Doppler photocurrent analysis and identification of proper laser beam positioning are the major requirements in making direct quantitative assessment of retinal hemodynamics a routine diagnostic tool. We discuss our efforts toward achieving this goal and illustrate our current capabilities with examples of changes in retinal blood flow in response to physiologic maneuvers. In veins, V(max) can now be determined on-line. In arteries, current computing speed only supports intermittent on-line data acquisition.