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Updated: Sep 9, 2025
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Assessment of Global Ocular Structure Following Spaceflight Using a Micro-Computed Tomography Micro-CT Imaging Method
Published on: October 27, 2020
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Short-term Structural and Microvascular Ocular Changes Induced by Hypergravity Exposure During Human Centrifuge
Chia-Chen Hsu1,2,3, Lung-Chi Lee1,2, Hsu-Chieh Chang4,5,6
1Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, National Defense Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science
|August 28, 2025
Summary
Short-term hypergravity exposure during centrifuge training caused temporary changes in eye measurements, including axial length and retinal thickness. These findings are crucial for understanding visual impairment risks in high-G environments.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Aerospace Medicine
- Physiology
Background:
- Human centrifuge training simulates high-G environments, posing potential risks to ocular health.
- Understanding the short-term effects of hypergravity on the eye is essential for aviation safety and astronaut health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the immediate and short-term effects of hypergravity exposure on ocular parameters.
- To analyze changes in retinal and peripapillary microvasculature during human centrifuge training.
Main Methods:
- Prospective observational study of healthy trainees undergoing centrifuge training.
- Ocular data collected pre-training, immediately post-training, and at 15 and 30 minutes post-training.
- Utilized non-contact tonometry, optical biometry, and optical coherence tomography angiography.
Main Results:
- Axial length showed a transient decrease immediately after hypergravity exposure, followed by a rebound.
- Central corneal thickness increased temporarily post-training.
- Retinal and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thicknesses significantly increased.
Conclusions:
- Short-term hypergravity exposure induces measurable, transient alterations in ocular parameters.
- Findings suggest potential mechanisms for hypergravity-associated visual impairment.
- Emphasizes the need for monitoring ocular health in individuals exposed to high-G forces.
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