[Perfusion pressure in ocular vessels of patients with open-angle glaucoma]

Perfusion pressure in ophthalmic vessels was measured by computer-aided ophthalmodynamography in health, stenoses of the internal carotid artery, and open-angle glaucoma. A total of 70 subjects were examined. Stenoses of the internal carotid artery are associated with a noticeable reduction of perfusion pressure on the side of stenosis. Some patients develop optic nerve atrophy (without excavation). Secondary neovascular glaucoma was diagnosed in 1 patient. Primary open-angle glaucoma was revealed in none of the patients. Increase of intraocular pressure in patients with open-angle glaucoma was associated with a reduction of perfusion pressure. However, in more than 50% of patients a higher pressure was observed in the orbital artery corresponding to the eye with a higher ophthalmic tone than in the contralateral eye. This was conducive to a certain leveling of perfusion pressure. Such a reaction is regarded as a manifestation of autoregulation of ocular vessels, important for blood delivery to the eyes.