Retinal oxygen saturation in patients with systemic hypoxemia.

Purpose: To assess spectrophotometric oximetry across a broad range of arterial saturation levels and to study the effect of chronic systemic hypoxemia on retinal oxygen extraction.

Methods: The study included 16 patients with Eisenmenger syndrome, a cyanotic cardiac defect, and 17 healthy volunteers. Oxygen saturation in selected major retinal arteries and veins was assessed using noninvasive spectrophotometric oximetry.