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Updated: Apr 30, 2026
Monitoring Dynamic Growth of Retinal Vessels in Oxygen-Induced Retinopathy Mouse Model
Published on: April 2, 2021
Retinal vessel oxygen saturation and vessel diameter in retinitis pigmentosa
Thor Eysteinsson1, Sveinn H Hardarson, David Bragason
1Physiology, University of Iceland, Reykjavik, Iceland; Ophthalmology, University of Iceland/Landspitali University Hospital, Reykjavik, Iceland.
Purpose:
To assess retinal vessel oxygen saturation and retinal vessel diameter in retinitis pigmentosa.
Methods:
A retinal oximeter (Oxymap ehf., Reykjavik, Iceland) was used to measure retinal vessel oxygen saturation and vessel diameter in ten patients with retinitis pigmentosa (RP) (mean age 49 years, range 23-71 years). Results were compared with age- and gender-matched healthy individuals. All patients had advanced stage of the disease with visual fields restricted to the macular region.
Results:
Oxygen saturation in retinal venules was 58.0 ± 6.2% in patients with RP and 53.4 ± 4.8% in healthy subjects (p = 0.017). Oxygen saturation in retinal arterioles was not significantly different between groups (p = 0.65). The mean diameter of retinal arterioles was 8.9 ± 1.6 pixels in patients with RP and 11.4 ± 1.2 in healthy controls (p < 0.0001). The corresponding diameters for venules were 10.1 ± 1.2 (RP) and 15.3 ± 1.7 (healthy, p < 0.0001).
Conclusions:
Increased venous saturation and decreased retinal vessel diameter suggest decreased oxygen delivery from the retinal circulation in retinitis pigmentosa. This is probably secondary to tissue atrophy and reduced oxygen consumption.
