Acute effect of topical carteolol on ocular pulsatile volume change

To determine whether topical carteolol affects ocular blood flow, we studied effects of carteolol 2% on the ocular pulse waves in 9 normal volunteers, and analyzed the results as variations in pulsatile volume changes (PVC) for one minute (PVCm) using the Friedenwald's pressure-volume relationship. PVC means a volume for the pressure amplitude in each pulse. The pulse waves were recorded with a pneumatonometer and analyzed by a computer. The PVCm change 15 min after the carteolol instillation was evaluated with the control performed with biological salt solution in the same manner. The data showed a net increase in the PVCm of the carteolol-instilled eyes (21.3 +/- 6.4 microliters/min: mean +/- standard error, p < 0.05, paired t-test). Considering a finding that PVCm takes 50% of the total ocular blood flow, the results suggest a possible alteration in the total flow by a carteolol instillation.