Ocular blood flow and the role of matrix metalloproteinases in pseudoexfoliation

Purpose: To evaluate the central corneal thickness, retrobulber blood flow parameters, biometric parameters and variations of matrix metalloproteinase 2 and the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase 2 concentration of aquous humor in pseudoexfoliation.Material and Methods: The patients, who were planned to be operated, with the diagnosis of cataract or cataract and glaucoma at the Department of Ophthalmology in Çukurova University in Nov 2007-May2008, were examined prospectively. 117 eyes of 96 consecutive patients were included the study. None of the eyes have had any operations before. Demographic properties of all patients were enrolled. A complete ophthalmic evaluation was done in all participants, including visual acuity assessment, Goldmann applanation tonometry, gonioscopy, slit-lamp examination and fundus examination. All eyes, included the study, were underwent the further evaluation including, central corneal thickness measurement and color doppler imaging of short posterior ciliary arteries? blood velocities. Aqueous humour samples were collected during cataract surgery from the patients and samples were stored at -70 0C until analysed. Matrix metalloproteinases 2 concentrations were measured by ELİSA assays.Results: All blood velocity parameters of temporal short posterior ciliary arter were significantly decreased in pseudoexfoliation. There were no significant difference in nasal short posterior ciliary arter. Only in pseudoexfoliative glaucoma, resisitivity index were found to be significantly increased. Matrix metalloproteinases 2 concentrations were increased in pseudoexfoliation especially in pseudoexfoliative glaucoma.Conclusion: In our study pseudoexfoliation is investigated in many aspects. We determined that resistivity index of temporal short posterior ciliary arter, can be used as a sufficent parameter in glaucoma progress follow-up.