Mobile, Multimodal, Label-Free Imaging Probe Analysis of Choroidal Oximetry and Retinal Hypoxia
Abstract
Focus Area: Mitigation and treatment of traumatic injuries, war-related injuries, and diseases to ocular structures and the visual system Rationale: Ocular trauma occurs in 13 of the injuries sustained by wounded soldiers in active combat zones, with damage to the retina occurring in at least 50 of these same eye injuries. Primary blast-induced injury (PBI), which can occur in eyes that are not punctured or ruptured by the blast, is correlated with a high degree of permanent visual impairment. The cause of this deterioration of visual function is currently unknown. However, one aspect of injury that is thought to contribute to permanent visual loss is the combination of chronic ischemia and resulting neurotoxicity that greatly affect function of the retina. In retinas where these processes occur, their effects ultimately can lead to irreversible neurodegeneration of the delicate, light-sensing photoreceptor neurons, which are essential to proper visual function. Retinal ischemia is caused by insufficient oxygen levels reaching the retinal neurons. Neurons such as the photoreceptors alter their cellular behavior under these hypoxic stress conditions, and eventually begin to die if oxygen levels are not restored to normal. One possible cause of ischemia/hypoxia in the retina is damage to the choroidal vasculature that supplies oxygen to the retina.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 2017
- Accession Number
- AD1050512
Entities
People
- Jiasong Li
- Stephen T. Wong