Retinal Occlusion Model

A primary research interest in this laboratory is to understand more fully how the alteration of retinal blood flow correlates to changes in visual function.Visual function in an experimental animal model will be assessed through the use of electroretinography (ERG).The retinal blood flow will be determined experimentally and will be used to develop a computational model to examine local flow properties. The computational model may provide new insights into local mechanical changes of retinal blood flow due to occlusion that would be difficult to obtain experimentally. It is anticipated that the combination of the experimental findings on visual function and the blood flow studies will lead to potential clinical treatments.

The significance of this study is that it will allow an in-depth examination of retinal vascular occlusion both experimentally and through quantitative analysis.The results obtained from this study will serve as a foundation for the development and determination of efficacy of possible treatments toward retinal vascular occlusion.

Furthermore, this research aims to gain a better understanding of the effects that occlusion and the resulting changes in blood flow have on basic retinal function. The results obtained will shed light upon how the retina reacts to conditions often found in patients suffering from diseases such as diabetic retinopathy or retinal ischemia.