Vascular Retinopathy

Retinal arteries and veins present unique opportunities to the clinician to leam about the vasculature of the central nervous system (CNS). These vessels can be visualized directly using modem ophthalmoscopy, and their physiologic characteristics can be recorded and quantified using techniques such as fluorescein angiography and fluorophotometry. Retinal vessels shara many characteristics wlth the brain's vasculature by virtue of similar embryogenesis. This makes it especially attractive for neurologists interested In cerebrovascular disease to study retinal vascular disease. It has been known for a long time that retinal arterioles and venules undergo characteristic changes with systemic hypertension, but little has been published on this In recent years. Perhaps it is time to become more Interested once again In the appearance and function of retinal vessels, both in stroke patients and In patients with other systemic vascular diseases. Part of this process will involve more systematic structural and physio gic definition of normal retinal vessels In various age groups.