Several techniques for measuring the oxygen saturation of blood in retinal vessels have been reported. One interesting applicatin of retinal vessel oximetry is the identification of occult blood loss in trauma victims. However, all the devices described to date are too bulky and cumbersome to be used in a trauma bay or in the field. We present a design for a handheld instrument that performs four-wavelength retinal vessel oximetry. This device is comparable in size the weight to a commercially available camcorder, and is suitable for use inthe trauma bay. The compact size of this device could also extend its applications beyond traditional clinical settings, as it could be used by primary care physicians and home health care workers for the screening and monitoring of ophthalmic diseases. Princiles of operation and preliminary data from the device will be described.
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