Age, increased ocular and blood pressures, and retinal and disc fluorescein angiogram

From the densitometric and time curves of fluorescein angiograms of matched groups of normal, ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous eyes, the time and rate of filling of the retinal arteries and veins, optic disc, and peripapillary choroid were measured. In the whole population of eyes, with increasing age there was a decreased rate of filling of the retinal arteries, optic disc, and the peripapillary choroid. With increased diastolic blood pressure, increased time was needed to fill the peripapillary choroid. Increased ocular pressures and decreased tonographic outflow facility were particularly correlated with the decreased filling of the retinal veins and the disc. Significant differences of circulatory changes in the retinal arteries and veins were obtained between the normal, ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous eyes. Further evaluation of these circulatory events could be clinically useful, especially in differentiating normal from ocular hypertensive eyes in relation to the effect of ocular pressure on the retinal and disc circulations.