[Measuring choroid blood flow with a new confocal laser Doppler device].
A new instrument for the measurement of choroidal blood flow in the fovea is presented. It is based on the laser Doppler method and a confocal optical system with an indirect detection of the Doppler shifted light.


METHODS
The intensity of the laser beam (785 nm) at the cornea is 90 microW. Measurements were obtained from a normal population of 21 subjects under resting conditions without dilating the pupil.


RESULTS
The reproducibility of the choroidal blood flow, based on 5 measurements of 10 s each in 5 randomly selected subjects, is 9%. The minimum detectable change for a statistical significance of p < or = 0.05, based on a population of 21 subjects and 10 s measurements, is 9%.


CONCLUSIONS
This new compact instrument appears to be suitable for the investigation of the physiology and pharmacology of choroidal blood flow and the effect of age-related macular degeneration.
Institut de Recherche en Ophtalmologie, Sion.
M H
MH
Geiser
C E
CE
Riva
U
U
Diermann
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002829:Choroid / Q000098:blood supply*; D003971:Diastole / Q000502:physiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012016:Reference Values; D013599:Systole / Q000502:physiology
Mesure du flux sanguin choroïdien au moyen d'un nouvel instrument laser Doppler confocal.