RETINAL CAPILLARY HEMODYNAMICS AND VEP PRESSURE TOLERANCE - EVIDENCE OF RETINAL MICROCIRCULATORY COMPROMISE IN TREATED GLAUCOMATOUS EYES/

Measurements of retinal leukocyte velocity were made in single eyes of 6 glaucomatous adults and 9 normal subjects at each of 4 discrete lev els of IOP elevation assigned according to the characteristics of prio r pattern-evoked cortical potential pressure tolerance measurements. G laucomatous eyes failed to demonstrate any stabilization in retinal le ukocyte velocity at pressures above 45 mm Hg, with velocities 33% lowe r than normal for a comparable degree of IOP elevation (p<0.012). Even at baseline IOP, leukocyte velocity was 27.2% slower in the treated g laucomatous eyes than in normal control eyes (p less than or equal to 0.013), despite comparable baseline IOP levels in both groups.