Retinal Ganglion Cell Dependant Retinal Perfusion After Acute Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) causes structural damage and functional impairment in the visual system. Up to 80% of patients with TBI complain of visual disturbance. Retinal ganglion cell (RGC) degeneration occurs even in the absence of visual symptoms and may serve as a non-invasive marker of TBI severity.(1,2) RGC neurodegeneration is associated with reduced retinal blood flow, however, the temporal relationship between retinal perfusion and RGC degeneration after acute TBI (whether reductions in blood flow precede or follow neurodegeneration) remains unknown. Aim was to evaluate the temporal relationship between RGC degeneration and retinal vascular perfusion after acute TBI.