TNO Introduces Retinal Camera to Measure Oxygen Saturation in Retinal Blood Vessels

At the Euretina Congress in Amsterdam, The Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) introduced a retinal camera that uses light to measure oxygen saturation in retinal blood vessels. To validate retinal cameras with such an oxygen measuring function, TNO, which is an independent research organization, also developed a high-tech model eye. Over the long term, TNO plans to research the possibility of detecting cardiovascular diseases and brain disorders such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's in the eye.

Measuring Oxygen Via Multi-Colored Light

Together with the Rotterdam Ophthalmological Institute and the Leiden Centre for Human Drug Research, TNO is working on a module for retinal cameras called "QRI, Quantitative Retinal Imaging." This module illuminates the retina with line patterns of specific colors. From the reflection of these patterns, diagnostic information on retinal oxygen distribution is obtained, according to a company news release. TNO is also developing an Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope (SLO) system in cooperation with the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Heidelberg Engineering. Using a fast scanning laser, with multi-colored light, it measures the oxygen saturation in the retinal blood vessels. In the short term, this may enable early detection of eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy.

Model that Mimics Blood Vessels in Human Eye

Validating new instruments in ophthalmology is challenging because the retina is not accessible physically. Because of this, TNO said it developed an innovative model eye to validate the retinal cameras with oxygen measurement function. The model is designed to accurately mimic a blood vessel in the human eye. Live human blood flows through a small artificial blood vessel into a layered retina with optical and geometric properties of a real eye. The oxygen saturation in the blood is adjusted by means of a miniature heart-lung machine.