Purpose: To study the
characteristics of the pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) in glaucoma and
normal healthy eyes.
Methods: In a prospective
clinical trial, 30 open angle glaucoma (POAG), 30 normal tension glaucoma
patients and 30 healthy volunteers were recruited. The pulse amplitude (PA),
pulse volume (PV), and pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) were measured with a
slit lamp-mounted OBF Tonometer (OBF Labs UK Ltd).
Results: Mean POBF values
were 791.43 ± 215.40 μl/min in
POAG, 1041.87 ± 286.59 μl/min in
NTG and 1262.07 ± 330.09 μl/min in
normal controls. These data is higher than Caucasian people. Multiple
regression analysis showed a significant reduction of POBF in NTG and POAG
patients (p<0.05 and p<0.001 respectively). Statistically lower OBF value
was also found in eyes with NTG than POAG after adjusted for several clinical
variables (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Reduced POBF
was found in both NTG and POAG groups. The results lead further confirmation to
the hypothesis that vascular factors are associated with glaucoma, particularly
for NTG.