Abstract

Volumetric blood flow rate in the human retina is an important measure of its health. Total blood flow is measured by measuring the flow through the major arteries or veins of the retina. The technique involves measuring the spatial and time averaged blood speed V in individual vessels using LDV¹ or a fluorescein angiography procedure such as microencapsulated liposomes². A measure of the red blood cell column RBCC radius combined with V yields the volumetric blood flow rate. It is natural to determine blood flow rate as a function of vessel radius. Riva et al.³ report a functional dependence of the blood flow rate F on RBCC radius R as (1) where m ≈ 3. Feke et al.¹ report m ≈ 4. The majority of studies in the eye and elsewhere in the body, both in humans and in animals, report 3 ≤ m ≤ 4. In this paper a simple model is given which explains the disparity in values of m obtained by different groups.

© 1992 Optical Society of America