The auto-regulation of blood flow and fluid transport in the eye is exquisitely sensitive to many neurovascular and metabolic signaling systems. Though the effects of glucose, oxygen, and carbon dioxide (fuel, oxidizer, and waste) are the most commonly studied, there is also evidence that the fluid shifts and intraocular /intracranial pressures changes observed or inferred in the microgravity environment likewise produce responses with potential long-term consequences for ocular health. An advanced multimodal diagnostic imaging platform which can accurately track multiple anatomical and physiological changes in the eye over time is therefore fundamental to understanding and mitigating these effects. Such a flexible device may offer significant advantages to NASA research facilities which would otherwise need to adapt multiple single-purpose commercial clinical devices to NASA applications.
PSI has a long and successful history in developing advanced ophthalmic imaging instrumentation. The main objective of the proposed research is development of multimodal platform that can non-invasively and non-mydriatically characterize the posterior segment of the eye both structurally (thickness maps and volume of retina and choroid) and hemodynamically (blood flow in the retina and choroid). A novel imaging system combining Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) with PSI's proprietary Line-scanning Doppler Flowmetry (LSDF) near 1050nm will provide 3D structural information and local flow parameters while semi-quantitative LSDF flow visualizations will aid in characterizing global blood flow patterns. Such a unique platform capable of generating structural and functional maps of the eye will have immediate clinical applications for a broad range of eye diseases, including diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma age-related, macular degeneration, and other conditions.
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