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Abstract #15691 Published in IGR 2-3
Assessment of optic disc blood flow in patients with open-angle glaucoma
Findl O; Rainer G; Dallinger S; Dorner GT; Polak K; Kiss B; Georgopoulos M; Vass C; Schmetterer LAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology 2000; 130: 589-596
PURPOSE: To characterize optic disc blood flow in patients with open-angle glaucoma compared with age-matched healthy control subjects. METHODS: In this prospective cross-sectional study, 90 eyes of 90 patients with open-angle glaucoma and 61 eyes of 61 age-matched healthy control subjects were evaluated. Flow in the optic disc cup and the neuroretinal rim was assessed with scanning laser Doppler flowmetry. Fundus pulsation amplitude in the cup and the macula was assessed with laser interferometry. Visual field mean deviation was measured with the Humphrey 30-2 program. RESULTS: Flow in the neuroretinal rim (-18%, p = 0.002), and in the cup (-46%, p < 0.001) and fundus pulsation amplitude in the cup (-33%, p < 0.001) and in the macula (-24%, p < 0.001) were significantly lower in patients with open-angle glaucoma compared with healthy control subjects. A significant association between blood flow measurements in the cup and fundus pulsation amplitudes in the cup was observed in both study cohorts. A significant association was also observed between the mean defect from visual field testing and ocular hemodynamic parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced optic disc perfusion in patients with open-angle glaucoma is evidenced from two independent methods in the present study. Moreover, these data indicate that reduced ocular blood flow in these patients is linked to visual field changes. It remains to be established whether compromised optic disc and choroidal blood flow contributes to optic disc damage in glaucomatous eyes or is a secondary functional phenomenon.
Dr. L. Schmetterer, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Wahringer Gurtel 18-20, A-1090 Vienna, Austria
Classification:
6.11 Bloodflow measurements (Part of: 6 Clinical examination methods)
9.2.2 Other risk factors for glaucoma (Part of: 9 Clinical forms of glaucomas > 9.2 Primary open angle glaucomas)
