The Relationship between Transcranial Doppler Ultrasonography and Visual Field Test Results in Glaucoma and Glaucoma...

To evaluate the relationships between parameters of transcranial ultrasonography and results of visual field tests in patients with open angle glaucoma or suspected of having glaucoma.

This retrospective study was based on data from medical records of patients who visited the Department of Ophthalmology in Kangbuk Samsung Hospital from January 1, 2016, to October 17, 2019, and underwent transcranial Doppler ultrasonography as part of a routine health examination. Ophthalmic data were visual acuity, intraocular pressure, optical coherence tomography, and Humphrey visual field test results. Retinal nerve fiber layer defect was confirmed by a glaucoma specialist. Patients' ophthalmic data, such as average ganglion cell layer thickness, visual field index, pattern standard deviation, and mean deviation, were divided into quartiles. Each ophthalmic artery parameter from transcranial Doppler ultrasonography was compared between quartiles.

A total of 162 patients were reviewed. There was no difference in Doppler ophthalmic artery (OA) parameters between patients with or without retinal nerve fiber layer defect. None of the quartile groups of average ganglion cell layer thickness showed significant difference in any OA parameters. Patients in the low-visual field index quartile showed significant low peak systolic velocities of OAs when adjusted for age, sex, and presence of diabetes mellitus or hypertension (p = 0.016). A higher pattern standard deviation showed lower peak systolic velocity (p = 0.046). There was no significant tendency between any other OA parameter and mean deviation value.

Our study suggests that hemodynamic parameters of ophthalmic arteries might be associated with visual field status of patients. Further large-population studies are needed in order to better understand the relationship between visual function and ocular blood flow.