TY - JOUR
T1 - Retinal Blood Flow and Nerve Fiber Layer Measurements in Early-Stage Open-Angle Glaucoma
AU - Berisha, Fatmire
AU - Feke, Gilbert T.
AU - Hirose, Tatsuo
AU - McMeel, J. Wallace
AU - Pasquale, Louis R.
PY - 2008/9
Y1 - 2008/9
N2 - Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between retinal circulatory abnormalities and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning in early-stage open-angle glaucoma (OAG) to help elucidate the mechanisms underlying the development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Design: Prospective cross-sectional. Methods: Twelve patients with early OAG and a known maximum untreated intraocular pressure less than 22 mm Hg (age, 61.4 ± 9.7 years; Humphrey visual field mean deviation -2.7 ± 2.1) and eight age-matched healthy control subjects (age, 58.5 ± 8.3 years) were included in the study. Blood column diameter, centerline blood speed, and retinal blood flow were measured in the major inferior temporal retinal artery using a Canon laser Doppler blood flow instrument (CLBF 100; Canon, Tokyo, Japan). Peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured using a Stratus optical coherence tomography instrument. Results: On average, there were significant reductions in retinal blood speed (P = .009) and flow (P = .010) in OAG patients compared to controls. The RNFL was significantly thinner in the OAG patients compared to controls (P = .002). There were significant inverse correlations between retinal blood flow and average RNFL thickness and RNFL thickness in the inferior quadrant within the glaucoma group (Rsq = 0.50, P = .01; Rsq = 0.62, P = .003). Conclusion: The results showed that a thinner RNFL was associated with a higher retinal blood flow in patients with early-stage OAG. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain to be elucidated.
AB - Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between retinal circulatory abnormalities and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thinning in early-stage open-angle glaucoma (OAG) to help elucidate the mechanisms underlying the development of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Design: Prospective cross-sectional. Methods: Twelve patients with early OAG and a known maximum untreated intraocular pressure less than 22 mm Hg (age, 61.4 ± 9.7 years; Humphrey visual field mean deviation -2.7 ± 2.1) and eight age-matched healthy control subjects (age, 58.5 ± 8.3 years) were included in the study. Blood column diameter, centerline blood speed, and retinal blood flow were measured in the major inferior temporal retinal artery using a Canon laser Doppler blood flow instrument (CLBF 100; Canon, Tokyo, Japan). Peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured using a Stratus optical coherence tomography instrument. Results: On average, there were significant reductions in retinal blood speed (P = .009) and flow (P = .010) in OAG patients compared to controls. The RNFL was significantly thinner in the OAG patients compared to controls (P = .002). There were significant inverse correlations between retinal blood flow and average RNFL thickness and RNFL thickness in the inferior quadrant within the glaucoma group (Rsq = 0.50, P = .01; Rsq = 0.62, P = .003). Conclusion: The results showed that a thinner RNFL was associated with a higher retinal blood flow in patients with early-stage OAG. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain to be elucidated.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=49749130823&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ajo.2008.04.034
DO - 10.1016/j.ajo.2008.04.034
M3 - Article
C2 - 18571616
AN - SCOPUS:49749130823
SN - 0002-9394
VL - 146
SP - 466-472.e2
JO - American Journal of Ophthalmology
JF - American Journal of Ophthalmology
IS - 3
ER -