Hyperbaric oxygen and persistence of vision in retinal ischemia

Abstract

When retinal ischemia is produced by elevating the intraocular tension, normal vision persists for about 4 sec in healthy subjects breathing air at atmospheric pressure. Persistence times were determined at alveolar oxygen pressures up to 4 atm abs (3,000 mm Hg), obtained by oxygen breathing in a high-pressure chamber. Below an alveolar Po₂ of 2 atm the rise in persistence time is relatively small. Above that level the time increases in direct proportion to the increase in alveolar Po₂ and may exceed 50 sec at 4 atm. The rise of persistence time follows a pattern similar to that of computed blood oxygen pressure assuming an oxygen extraction of about 3 vol%. high pressure; blood oxygen tension; tissue oxygenation; intraocular tension; retinal circulation; visual blackout Submitted on February 7, 1964