Decreased Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter (HRF) parameter "flow" at the papilla shortly after smoking a cigarette

Purpose: To investigate the effect of smoking a cigarette on the Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter (HRF) parameter "Flow" at the papilla of healthy young vo lunteers. Methods: Three HRF measurements were taken over the papilla (20 x 5, 256 x 64 pixels) in fourteen occasional smokers and in 14 non-smokers. Ten minute s later three similar HRF measurements were again made. In between the two series of measurements occasional smokers were asked to smoke a cigarette ( Marlboro (R), nicotine content 9 mg) and non-smelters not. Results: In occasional smelters, the values (arbitrary units) of the HRF pa rameter "Flow", calculated at the papilla (50x50 pixels), significantly (P= 0.01) decreased (11.2 +/-3.5%) after smoking a cigarette. In contrast, in n on-smelters, the values of the HRF parameter "Flow" did not decrease signif icantly (2.9 +/- 2.2 %) when measurements were repeated 10 minutes later. Conclusions: The results of the present study suggest that smoking a cigare tte can affect the HRF-parameter "Flow" at the papilla. The clinical implic ation of such an observation needs further investigations.