AGE-DEPENDENCE OF CHOROIDAL BLOOD-FLOW

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the age dependence of choroidal blood flow. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Department of Clinical Pharm acology, Vienna University. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 130 healthy volun teers between the ages of 19 and 83 years. MEASUREMENTS: Fundus pulsat ion amplitude (FPA) with a recently developed laser interferometric me thod, mean arterial pressure (MAP) with an automated oscillometric dev ice, intraocular pressure (IOP) with an applanation tonometer, and ocu lar perfusion pressure (OPP) as calculated from MAP and IOP. RESULTS: There was a significant correlation of FPA with age r = -0.242 (P =.00 5). MAP, IOP, and OPP showed a significant positive correlation with a ge. Multiple regression analysis showed that FPA is associated with ag e but not with MAP, IOP, or OPP. CONCLUSION: Choroidal blood flow is r educed in older subjects, which argues in favor of an increase in ocul ar vascular resistance with age. This may be a risk factor in the deve lopment of common ocular diseases such as age-related macular degenera tion or glaucoma.