A Comparison of Optic Nerve Head and Peripapillary Retinal Blood Flow in Normal, Primary Open Angle Glaucoma,and Normal Tension Glaucoma

ABSTRACT

Although the pathogenesis of glaucoma remains obscure, many reports suggested that vascular factors may be involved in the pathogenesis of glaucoma. In this study, we examined and analyzed blood flow in the optic nerve and peripapillary retina of control subjects, patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) using Heidelberg Retinal Flowmeter. Image from 20 control subjects, 25 POAG patients and 18 NTG patients were analyzed. Blood volume, flow, and velocity were obtained and analyzed in 2 separate sites of optic cup,temporal and nasal neuroretinal rim, temporal and nasal peripapillary retina in the perfusion map by 10 x10 pixel sized window. The NTG patients had significantly decreased blood volume, flow, velocity in the nasal neuroretinal rim and temporal peripapillary retina compared with control subjects (p<.05). The NTG patients had only significantly decreased flow in the optic cup and temporal neuroretinal rim (optic cup p=.022, temporal neuroretinal rimp=.035). The POAG patients had significantly decreased blood volume, flow, velocity in the nasal neuroretinal rim compared with control subjects (p<.05). The POAG patients had significantly decreased flow in the optic cup (p=.033). The NTG patients had significantly decreased velocity, volume in the temporal neuroretinal rim compared with POAG patients (velocity p=.009, volume p=.001).