Translaminar Pressure Difference and Ocular Perfusion Pressure in Glaucomatous Eyes with Different Optic Disc Sizes

Intracranial pressure (ICP) and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) are both involved with the pathogenesis of glaucoma. The orbital ICP determines a retrolaminar counter pressure that is antagonistic to the intraocular pressure (IOP). The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether the translaminar pressure difference (TLPD) and the OPP varies in glaucoma patients with different optic disc sizes.

In this university hospital-based, observational, cross-sectional clinical study, all patients underwent an ophthalmic evaluation. Blood pressure, height, weight, and the results of retinal nerve fiber layer examination with optical coherence tomography examination were recorded. TLPD and OPP were calculated for each patient using proxy algorithms to attain indirect surrogate parameter values. Patients' eyes were stratified into three quantiles according to optic disc sizes and the differences compared. Data from both eyes were used after using the appropriate correction for inter-eye dependency.

The sample consisted of 140 eyes of 73 patients with primary open-angle glaucoma and suspects. Patients with large disc size presented with higher TLPD as compared to those with average and small-sized discs (2.4 $$ 4.5, 2.8 $$ 3.8, and 3.7 $$ 4.7 mmHg for first, second, and third tertile, respectively (P $$ 0.000). OPP did not vary according to the optic disc size.

Glaucoma patients with larger optic discs have higher TLPD. The pathological significance of this finding warrants further investigation.