MRI relaxometry to measure the oxygen partial pressure and viscosity of the vitreous humour of the aging eye

The vitreous humour is a clear, gel-like fluid to provide structural support to the eye. Recently, it has been shown that the vitreous is important in regulating oxygen levels within the back of the eye. However, with ageing, the vitreous undergoes liquefaction, and as a result, oxygen is able to be move more freely throughout the vitreous, which increases the exposure of tissues such as the lens to oxygen. In this study, we developed MRI-based protocols to clinically monitor the oxygen levels and the fluid viscosity of the vitreous and applied these protocol in a cohort of elderly partipants.