Variations in ocular hemodynamics in patients with early and late glaucoma

Purpose: To determine the retrobulbar hemodynamics in glaucoma patients wit h different degrees of optic nerve damage. Methods: Color Doppler imaging was performed in 52 patients with controlled primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and in 25 control subjects. Glaucomatou s eyes were divided into early and late groups based on the perimetry findi ngs. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), and resist ive index of the central retinal artery (CRA) and posterior ciliary arterie s (PCA) were evaluated. Results: Early glaucoma showed significantly decreased PSV in nasal PCA whe n compared with the normal. Late glaucoma showed significantly decreased PS V and EDV in the CRA and nasal PCA, and significantly decreased PSV in temp oral PCA as compared with the control and early glaucoma. The resistive ind ex of the CRA. also increased significantly in late glaucoma. Conclusion: Eyes with advanced glaucomatous optic neuropathy were associate d with more marked alterations in retrobulbar circulation than eyes with le ss nerve damage.