[Analysis of ocular circulatory kinetics in glaucoma by the ultrasonic Doppler method]

In order to analyze ocular circulatory kinetics in relation to the stages of progression of primary open-angle glaucoma, the pulse wave of flow velocity in the central retinal artery was measured by the ultrasonic Doppler method. In eyes with glaucoma, the ratio of blood flow velocity of the central retinal artery (fundus artery: FA) to that of the ophthalmic artery (medial frontal artery: OA) was smaller and, at the same time, the pulse rise time (PRT) of the pulse wave of flow velocity was shorter than in normal eyes, a tendency which increased as the disease progressed. The ratio of FA to OA in terms of velocity [V (FA/OA)] showed a significant inverse correlation with the degree of visual field disorder (Kosaki classification) and the ratio in terms of PRT [T (FA/OA)] showed significant inverse correlation with the C/D ratio of the papilla. An ultrasonic Doppler blood flowmeter with 2 frequencies, attached to an integral spectrum analyzer for indicating the direction of blood flow using real time sonography (Vasoflo-3), was used. The investigation was conducted on 100 eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma in 60 patients aged 20-70 years [28 males and 32 females (mean age 64.3 +/- 12.1)], and 60 eyes in 30 normal subjects of the same age (mean age 58.1 +/- 14.3). These results demonstrated that the ultrasonic Doppler method is useful for the observation of ocular circulatory kinetics in eyes with glaucoma.