OCULAR HEMODYNAMIC-CHANGES IN PATIENTS WITH HIGH-GRADE CAROTID OCCLUSIVE DISEASE AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC OCULAR ISCHEMIA .1. DOPPLER ANDDYNAMIC TONOMETRY FINDINGS

Ophthalmic artery blood flow pattern and the pulsatile ocular blood vo lume changes in patients with hemodynamically significant carotid occl usive disease are described. Using transorbital Doppler ultrasonograph y and dynamic tonometry 45 patients with high-grade internal carotid a rtery stenosis or occlusion and 15 healthy controls were examined. The measurements were performed under baseline conditions and 30 min afte r 1 g i. v. acetazolamide administration. The velocity in the ophthalm ic artery was significantly lower in patients compared with controls. Pulsatile ocular blood volume was also lower in patients than in contr ols under baseline conditions, and a further reduction was found after acetazolamide, despite the significant decrease of intraocular pressu re. A different reaction was observed in eyes with chronic ocular isch aemia.