Ocular haemodynamics in cataractous eyes. A pilot study

Pulsatile ocular blood flow, systolic and diastolic intraocular pressures and ocular perfusion pressures were measured in a group of 10 patients (mean age 67 +/- 3 years) with bilateral senile cataract. Each pair of eyes comprised one phakic and one pseudophakic eye. The results are compared to a group of 8 subjects (mean age 65 +/- 4 years) with no apparent ocular pathology. The mean ocular pulsatile blood flow of 394 +/- 52 microliters min-1 in the cataractous eyes was significantly reduced P less than 0.001) compared to that of the control group (571 +/- 40 microliters min-1). Results were similar for undisturbed cataractous eyes (mean pulsatile blood flow = 400 +/- 54 microliters min-1) and pseudophakic eyes (mean pulsatile blood flow = 388 +/- 51 microliters min-1). The intraocular pressures were within normal limits (systolic intraocular pressure = 19.7 +/- 0.7 mmHg, diastolic intraocular pressure = 17.5 +/- 0.6 mmHg) as were the ocular perfusion pressures (73.7 +/- 0.5 mmHg). The results provide evidence of decreased pulsatile ocular blood flow and associated ischaemia in cataractous eyes.