Purpose: To evaluate the blood flow parameters in central retinal artery
by DRG Retina Doppler using 10 Mhz transducer in patients with primary
open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and healthy persons and to analyze the correlation
between age and blood flow parameters in both groups. Methods: 59 patients with
medically controlled POAG and 30 age matched healthy persons underwent blood
flow examination in central retinal artery using DRG Retina Doppler from Tomey. We analyzed
peak systolic, end diastolic and mean blood flow velocities (Vmax, Vmin and
Vmean respectively), resistance and pulsatile indices (RI, PI). Results: Vmax,
Vmin, Vmean were significantly lower in patients with POAG compared to healthy
persons (respectively p=0.004, 0.008, 0.001). There was no statistically
significant difference for RI and PI. Age of patients with POAG was strongly
correlated with Vmin, Vmean, RI and PI for central retinal artery. In healthy
group only weak correlation was found between age and Vmax. Conclusions: Significant
differences in blood flow parameters between patients with POAG and healthy
subjects suggest the coexistence of hemodynamic alterations in central retinal
artery and glaucomatous neuropathy. Examination of blood flow in that vessel
may be useful in evaluation of compound patomechanism of glaucomatous damage
and in choice of individual treatment.