title: Posterior segment changes of the eye during hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine central retinal thickness, retinal and vitreo-retinal structures, and ocular blood flow during a standard protocol of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retinal thickness and color scans of the vitreo-retinal structures were obtained before and after 19 days of HBO2 therapy in 15 patients by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Pulsatile ocular blood flow was measured by ocular blood flow tonometry. Ocular refraction and axial length of the eye were monitored for control.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant reduction was found in mean retinal thickness, -1.7 ± 1.6 μm (range -3.9 to 1.1 μm) (p < 0.001) in nine subfields within the 6-mm-diameter circle around the central macula. An insignificant decrease in pulsatile ocular blood flow of -19.0 ± 148.8 μl/minute was measured. No morphological changes were seen in retinal and vitreo-retinal structures. A mean myopic shift of -0.62 ± 0.39 D (p < 0.001) developed while axial length of the eye remained unchanged.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A small decrease in central retinal thickness was seen during the study period, but the changes were not correlated to the myopic shift. No significant changes in vitreo-retinal structures or ocular pulsatile blood flow occurred.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Medicine,  University of Bergen, Norway. knut.evanger@essilor.no
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Evanger
authors.forename: Guro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vaagbø
authors.forename: Einar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Thorsen
authors.forename: Olav H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Haugen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006931:Hyperbaric Oxygenation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009216:Myopia / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012160:Retina / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D020255:Vitreous Detachment / Q000175:diagnosis