A new method for determining the blood quantity in the eye in a unit of time.

The principles of rheography with "infinite time constant" are utilized. After applying a suction cup electrode mechanism, by gradual increases of the vacuum, ocular pressure rises above venous pressure, and without modification of arterial inflow, the venous outflow is blocked; in consequence an increase of blood accumulation in the interior of the eye occurs. The electrical impedance variation, as a result of the latter, gives the recorded tracing a "slow" rising curve, that maintains the same pulse morphology. After being analyzed and elaborated on with certain mathematical formulae, this curve makes it possible to calculate the blood flow in the eye in a unit of time. Statistics on normal patients of various ages are reported.