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Retinal Vascular Reactivity as Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: March 26, 2020
Human conjunctival microvasculature assessed with a retinal function imager (RFI)
Hong Jiang1, Yufeng Ye, Delia Cabrera DeBuc
1Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33136, USA. hjiang@med.miami.edu
Microvascular Research
|October 23, 2012
Summary
Tracking conjunctival microvasculature using retinal function imaging (RFI) offers insights into systemic and central nervous system vascular diseases. This noninvasive method visualizes capillary perfusion and blood flow velocity, aiding disease prediction and prognosis.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Conjunctival and cerebral vasculatures share embryological origins and characteristics.
- Conjunctival microvasculature may serve as a biomarker for systemic and CNS vascular diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the feasibility of using a retinal function imager (RFI) for noninvasive imaging of conjunctival vasculature.
- To assess the potential of RFI in mapping conjunctival capillary perfusion and blood flow velocity.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a retinal function imager (RFI) to noninvasively image bulbar conjunctival vasculature in five healthy subjects.
- Generated noninvasive capillary-perfusion maps (nCPMs) using hemoglobin as an intrinsic contrast agent.
- Measured blood flow velocities under normal and contact lens wear conditions.
Main Results:
- RFI successfully generated detailed nCPMs of the conjunctival microvasculature, comparable in clarity to retinal nCPMs.
- Blood flow velocities in the temporal conjunctival microvasculature were measured.
- Contact lens wear slightly increased blood flow velocity.
Conclusions:
- Retinal function imaging (RFI) is a feasible method for visualizing conjunctival microvasculature.
- This technique provides detailed capillary perfusion maps and blood flow velocity measurements.
- Conjunctival vasculature imaging holds potential for predicting and monitoring vascular diseases.
