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.