title: Optimum wavelength combinations for retinal vessel oximetry.
abstract: Several investigators have demonstrated techniques for noninvasive measurement of the oxygen saturation of blood in retinal arteries and veins. These techniques have been based on measuring the optical density of a retinal vessel at multiple wavelengths and on calculating the oxygen saturation on the basis of the known absorption coefficients of hemoglobin and oxyhemoglobin. A technique is presented for determining the optimum wavelengths for retinal oximetry measurements. What is believed to be a novel wavelength combination of 488, 635, and 905 nm is found to provide excellent oxygen sensitivity across a broad range of typical vessel diameters and saturations. The use of this wavelength combination should allow for the most accurate retinal saturation measurements made to date.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, The University of Alabama, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA. SmithMH@email.uah.edu
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Smith