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Updated: Jun 18, 2026
10:46
Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Circulation
Published on: September 18, 2012
Color Doppler imaging in glaucoma patients with asymmetric optic cups
V P Costa1, R C Sergott, M Smith
1Wills Eye Hospital, Glaucoma and Neuro-Ophthalmology Services, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Journal of Glaucoma
|November 19, 2009
Summary
Color Doppler imaging (CDI) revealed reduced retrobulbar blood flow in glaucoma patients with asymmetric disease. More severe optic nerve damage correlated with greater reductions in blood flow parameters.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Vascular Biology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- Asymmetric optic nerve damage and visual field loss are common in glaucoma.
- Retrobulbar circulation changes may play a role in glaucoma pathogenesis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate color Doppler imaging (CDI) parameters of retrobulbar circulation in glaucoma patients with asymmetric disease.
- To compare blood flow velocities between more and less affected eyes and with controls.
Main Methods:
- Color Doppler imaging (CDI) was performed on 29 glaucoma patients with asymmetric disease.
- Pulsatility index and blood flow velocities were measured in retrobulbar arteries.
- Data were compared between fellow eyes and with age- and sex-matched controls.
Main Results:
- No significant difference in blood flow velocities between more and less damaged eyes in the overall group.
- Less damaged eyes of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients showed reduced ophthalmic artery velocities compared to controls.
- More damaged eyes exhibited reduced velocities in the ophthalmic artery and short posterior ciliary arteries.
Conclusions:
- Reduced retrobulbar blood flow is associated with asymmetric glaucoma.
- More advanced optic nerve damage correlates with more severe vascular changes.
- Further research is needed to determine the pathogenetic role of these vascular alterations.
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