Longitudinal Observation of Retinal Response to Optic Nerve Transection in Rats Using Visible Light Optical Coherence Tomography.

Vis-OCT can provide high-definition, in vivo characterization of retinal responses to ONT in rats. Despite a significant reduction in retinal layer thickness, this was not accompanied by alterations in vascular density. Despite this, oximetry indicates reduced retinal oxygen saturation, suggesting that altered vascular physiology is not reflected in the anatomic appearance of retinal blood vessel density alone.