Evaluation of the ocular blood flow in glaucoma patients

Purpose: Comparing the ocular blood flow parametres of glaucoma patients and healthy individuals with color doppler ultrasound and obtaining contribution to glaucoma ethiopathogenesis. Materials and Methods: 30 patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG), 20 patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) and a control group that consisted of 28 healthy individuals, in total 78 subjects with no statistical difference in age or gender were included in the study. After the routine opthomologic examintaions, peak systolic velocity (PCV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistive index (RI) were mesaured by examining the opthalmologic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), posterior short ciliary artery (PSCA) with color doppler ultrasound. Results were compared between groups. Results: PSV values of the OA in the NTG group decrased siginificantly compared to the control group (p=0.028) and in the POAG group, decreased significantly compared to the control group (p=0.026). RI values of the CRA in the POAG group were found significantly higher than the control group (p=0.039). PCV values of the SPCA in the POAG group were found significantly lower than the control group (p=0.005). EDV values of the PSCA in the NTG group decreased significantly compared to the control group and in the POAG group, decreased significantly compared to the control group (p<0.001). Conclusion: Evidence that hemodynamic changes have a role in glaucoma ethiopathogenesis have been obtained using the easily applicable and repeatable method which is color doppler ultrasound. Key Words: Glaucoma, ocular blood flow, Color Doppler Ultrasound, peak systolic velocity, end diastolic velocity, resistive indice