OCULAR PULSE AMPLITUDE IN OCULAR HYPERTEN SION AND OPEN-ANGLE GLAUCOMAS

The present study was designed to investigate choroidal perfusion in p rimary open-angle glaucoma patients with statistically elevated (HPG) and statistically normal (NPG) intraocular pressure (IOP) and in ocula r hypertensive volunteers (OHT) before and after application of topica l antiglaucomatous drugs. When compared to age-matched healthy control s, ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) and IOP were significantly increased i n OHT and unchanged in HPG; in NPG, the IOP was unchanged, and the OPA was significantly reduced. The topical antiglaucomatous drugs used in this study reduced IOP, but did not increase OPA. When compared to HP G and NPG, OHT subjects showed increased choroidal perfusion which may help to prevent glaucomatous optic nerve damage.