Measurement of retinal blood velocity

A fundus camera was modified to illuminate the retina of a rabbit model with low power laser light in order to obtain laser speckle images. A fast-exposure charge-coupled device (CCD) camera was used to capture laser speckle images of the retina. Image acquisition was synchronized with the arterial pulses of the rabbit to ensure that all images are obtained at the same point in the cardiac cycle. The rabbits were sedated and a speculum was inserted to prevent the eyelid from closing. Both albino (New Zealand) and pigmented (Dutch belted) rabbits were used in the study. The rabbit retina is almost avascular. The measurements are obtained for choroidal tissue as well as retinal tissue. Because the retina is in a region of high metabolism, blood velocity is strongly affected by blood oxygen saturation. Measurements of blood velocity obtained over a wide range of O2 saturations (58%-100%) showed that blood velocity increases with decreasing O2 saturation. For most experiments, the left eye of the rabbit was used for laser measurements whereas the right eye served as a control. No observable difference between pre- and post-experimented eye was noted. Histological examinations of retinal tissue subjected to repeated laser measurements showed no indication of tissue damage.