Time course and topographic distribution of ocular fundus pulsation measured by low-coherence tissue interferometry

Low-coherence tissue interferometry is a technique for the depth-resolved measurement of ocular fundus pulsations. Whereas fundus pulsation amplitudes at preselected axial positions can readily be assessed by this method, coupling of the interferometer with a pulse oximeter additionally allows for the reconstruction of the time course of ocular fundus pulsation with respect to the cardiac cycle of the subject. For this purpose, the interferogram resulting from the superposition of waves reflected at the cornea and the ocular fundus is recorded synchronously with the plethysmogram. A new method for evaluating the time course of synthetic interferograms in combination with plethysmograms based on averaging several pulse periods has been developed. This technique allows for the analysis of amplitudes, time courses, and phase differences of fundus pulsations at preselected axial and transversal positions and for creating fundus pulsation movies. Measurements are performed in three healthy emmetropic subjects at angles from 0 deg to 18 deg to the axis of vision. Considerably different time courses, amplitudes, and phases with respect to the cardiac cycle are found at different angles. Data on ocular fundus pulsation obtained with this technique can--among other applications--be used to verify and to improve biomechanical models of the eye.