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Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography of Retinal Circulation
Published on: September 18, 2012
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Retinal blood flow in glaucomatous eyes with single-hemifield damage
Mitra Sehi1, Iman Goharian1, Ranjith Konduru2
1Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Ophthalmology
|December 3, 2013
Summary
Glaucoma patients with single-hemifield vision loss show reduced retinal blood flow (RBF) in the affected hemisphere. This reduced RBF correlates with thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell complex (GCC) in glaucoma.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Medical Imaging
- Glaucoma Research
Background:
- Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- Early detection and understanding of disease mechanisms are crucial for managing glaucoma.
- Single-hemifield visual field loss is a common presentation in glaucoma patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if retinal blood flow (RBF) is reduced in the hemisphere of glaucomatous eyes corresponding to the abnormal visual field.
- To determine associations between reduced RBF, retinal sensitivity (RS), and structural measurements (RNFL, GCC) in the affected hemisphere.
- To explore RBF and structural changes in the seemingly normal hemisphere of glaucomatous eyes.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, case-control study involving 30 glaucoma patients with single-hemifield damage and 27 controls.
- Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and standard automated perimetry were performed.
- Doppler SD-OCT was used to measure total and hemispheric RBF, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and ganglion cell complex (GCC) values.
Main Results:
- Glaucomatous eyes exhibited significantly reduced total RBF and venous cross-sectional area compared to controls.
- Mean RBF was lower in the abnormal visual field hemisphere versus the opposite hemisphere (P=0.004).
- The abnormal hemisphere showed thinner RNFL (P=0.002) and GCC (P=0.04) and reduced RBF correlated with RNFL and GCC thickness (r=0.41-0.43, P=0.02).
- Even the perimetrically normal hemisphere in glaucoma eyes showed reduced RBF, RNFL, and GCC compared to normal controls.
Conclusions:
- Glaucoma with single-hemifield damage is characterized by reduced RBF in the corresponding abnormal hemisphere.
- Reduced RBF is associated with structural damage (thinner RNFL and GCC) in the affected hemisphere.
- Both affected and unaffected hemispheres in glaucomatous eyes show signs of reduced RBF and structural loss.
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