Ocular blood flow in healthy and primary open-angle glaucomatous eyes.

PURPOSE: To evaluate blood flow parameters in the ophthalmic artery, in the posterior ciliary arteries and in the central retinal artery in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma.

METHODS

Hemodynamic parameters were evaluated by color Doppler imaging in 48 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and 42 age-matched normal control subjects. Peak systolic velocity (Pv), end-diastolic velocity (Ev), and resistive index (RI) were calculated in the central retinal artery, short posterior ciliary arteries and the ophthalmic artery.

RESULTS

The analysis of the ocular blood flow velocities in the central retinal artery, short posterior ciliary arteries and the ophthalmic artery revealed a significant reduction in peak systolic velocity and end-diastolic velocity with an increase in resistive index in primary open-angle glaucoma compared with controls (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate primary open-angle glaucoma to be associated with a decreased flow velocity and increased resistive index in the ocular vasculature.