Correlation of Optic Disk Morphology and Ocular Perfusion Parameters in Patients With Primary Open Angle Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness in the industrialized nations. For a long time glaucoma has been defined as a disease in which high intraocular pressure (IOP) leads to irreversible optic disc damage and subsequent visual field loss. However, recent investigations show that IOP is not the only factor that is involved in the glaucomatous process leading to retinal ganglion cell death. The role of vascular factors in the pathogenesis of glaucoma has recently received much attention based on animal experiments and epidemiological studies. It is, however, assumed that vascular factors do not contribute to same degree in all glaucoma patients. Generally, it is believed that a vascular component is more important in normal tension glaucoma patients and patients with underlying cardiovascular disease. Little is, however, known about a potential association between optic nerve head morphology and ocular perfusion in POAG patients. The current study seeks to gain insight into this association by assessing ocular blood flow parameters with a number of noninvasive technologies.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Primary Open Angle Glaucoma
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: ocular blood flow measurement

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 103

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Austria
  • Vienna, Austria, 1090
    • Deparmtent of Clinical Pharmacology

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Men and women over 18 years
• Unilateral or bilateral primary open angle glaucoma
• At least 3 reliable visual field tests showing CPSD >= 2.0 in the eye that will be studied

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of acute angle closure
• Closed or barely open anterior chamber angle
• Standard deviation of visual field testing > 10
• Intraocular surgery or argon laser trabeculoplasty within the last six months
• Ocular inflammation or infection within the last three months
• Topical or systemically/oral therapy with steroids

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Optic nerve head blood flow (scanning laser Doppler flowmetry, laser Doppler flowmetry)
Retinal blood flow (scanning laser Doppler flowmetry, laser Doppler velocimetry + retinal vessel analyzer)
Choroidal blood flow (laser Doppler flowmetry, laser interferometry, pneumotonometry)
Optic nerve head morphology parameters
Fundus photography: evaluation based on Jonas et al. 2003 J Glaucoma 12:260-265,
Heidelberg Retina Tomograph: evaluation based on Iester et al. 2001 Am J Ophthalmol 132: 57-62,

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Medical University of Vienna

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: November 1, 2006
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2007

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: December 3, 2008
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 4, 2008
• First Posted (Estimate): December 5, 2008

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): December 5, 2008
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 4, 2008
• Last Verified: December 1, 2008

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: ocular blood flow; retina; optic disc morphology; ocular physiology
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Eye Diseases; Ocular Hypertension; Glaucoma; Glaucoma, Open-Angle
• Other Study ID Numbers: OPHT-120905