Ocular Blood Flow in Glaucoma Patients - the Leuven Eye Study

Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, whose treatment - intraocular pressure lowering - is only partially effective in preventing disease progression. Accordingly, other variables, such as ocular blood flow-related factors, have been implicated in disease pathogenesis. However, most findings involving vascular variables come from partial, small-scale studies. Furthermore, recent technological advances have identified a number of ocular blood flow variables that have yet to be tested in large scale trials. Therefore, a study that specifically aims at uncovering the role of vascular aspects in glaucoma is needed.

For this purpose, a cross-sectional, observational case-control study will be conducted in the University Hospitals Leuven. This will be the largest-yet study on the subject, involving more than 750 patients. This will allow the creation of a specific cohort of patients where the vascular aspects are thought to be particularly important (low-tension glaucoma). It will use the largest combination yet of vascular-related measuring techniques (dynamic contour tonometry, optic coherent tomography, colour Doppler imaging and retinal oximetry)