PURPOSE

Recent evidence suggests that the smaller retinal vessels are significantly involved in the regulation of retinal blood flow and that this regulation may differ among the macular area and the retinal periphery. An alternative to studying blood flow regulation in smaller retinal vessels that are difficult to resolve is to assess the metabolic consequences of changes in the microcirculation using oximetry.

METHODS

In 20 normal persons aged (mean ± SD, range) 30.1 ± 3.8 (24-37) years, the oxygen saturation and diameter of retinal arterioles and venules to the macular area and the retinal periphery were studied before and during an increase in the arterial blood pressure induced by isometric exercise.

RESULTS

The isometric exercise increased the mean arterial blood pressure by (mean ± SEM) 10.0 ± 1.1 mm Hg but induced no significant changes in the diameter of the arterioles (P = 0.83). The isometric exercise had no significant effect on the oxygen saturation in the arterioles supplying the macular area and the retinal periphery (P > 0.42 for both comparisons). However, there was a significant increase in the oxygen saturation in venules draining the retinal periphery to reduce the oxygen extraction from (mean ± SEM) 36.0% ± 2.3% to 30.6% ± 2.1% (P = 0.002) but no significant change in the preexisting low oxygen extraction in the macular area that changed from (mean ± SEM) 18.2% ± 3.0% to 16.2% ± 1.9% (P = 0.37).

CONCLUSIONS

Minor changes in the arterial blood pressure can induce changes in retinal rheology with significant regional variation. The finding may help explain regional variations in manifestations of retinal vascular disease such as hyperpermeability in the macular area and capillary occlusion in the retinal periphery.