Study on Retinal Circulation by Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope I. Evaluation of Retinal Circulation Times in Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy

ABSTRACT

The scanning laser ophthalmoscope was used to measure arm-retinal time(ART) and arteriovenous passage time(AVP) in 27 non-proliferative diabetic retinopathic eyes(NPDR eyes) and 22 normal controls. The ART in NPDR eyes(12.10 +/- 4.21 sec) was similar to that in normal eyes(12.79 +/- 3.59 sec). The AVPs measured from each quadrant were significantly longer in all quadrants in the NPDR eyes (2.41 +/- 0.85 sec in superior temporal quadrant (ST), 2.29 +/- 0.63 sec in inferior temporal one(IT) , 2.41+/-0.88 see in superior nasal one (SN), and 2.30 +/- 0.72 sec in inferior nasal one(IN)) than in normal eyes(1.73 +/- 0.61 sec in ST, 1.81 +/- 0.75 sec in IT, 1.83 +/- 0.58 sec in SN, and 1.83 +/- 0.58 sec in IN). This results suggest that retinal blood flow and its velocity are reduced in NPDR.