Ocular haemodynamics in glaucoma associated with high myopia

The ocular blood flow of a group of high myopic and glaucomatous eyes has been investigated by means of the Color Doppler Imaging (CDI) technique, comparing the results with those of some very myopic eyes without glaucoma, some non-myopic glaucomatous eyes and with a control group. The Ophthalmic Artery (OA), the Short Posterior Ciliary Arteries (SPCAs) and the Central Retinal Artery (CRA) were considered. For every vessel, peak systolic velocity (SV), end-diastolic velocity (DV) and the Pourcelot Resistivity Index were studied. The statistical analysis was performed by means of t-test according to Bonferroni procedure for multiple comparisons. The authors registered in the group of eyes with glaucoma associated with very severe myopia some abnormalities of the OA blood flow systolic velocity which might be interpreted as a vascular risk factor for the pathogenesis of the glaucomatous optic neuropathy; these abnormalities are more severe in glaucoma patients with high myopia than in an age-matched group of glaucoma patients without myopia.