Measurement of oxygen saturation in small retinal vessels with adaptive optics confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope.

We have used an adaptive optics confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscope to assess oxygen saturation in small retinal vessels. Images of the vessels with a diameter smaller than 50 μm are recorded at oxygen sensitive and isosbestic wavelengths (680 and 796 nm, respectively). The vessel optical densities (ODs) are determined by a computer algorithm. Then, OD ratios (ODRs), which are inversely proportional to oxygen saturation, are calculated. The results show that arterial ODRs are significantly smaller than venous ODRs, indicating that oxygen saturation in the artery is higher than that in the vein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first noninvasive measurement of oxygen saturation in small retinal vessels.