Laser speckle flowgraphy derived characteristics of optic nerve head perfusion in normal tension glaucoma and healthy individuals: a Pilot study

The purpose of this prospective, case control study was to investigate the differences in optic nerve head blood flow measured with Laser Speckle Flowgraphy (LSFG) between Caucasian patients with normal tension glaucoma and healthy subjects. It included 20 eyes from 20 Caucasian patients with diagnosis of normal tension glaucoma and 20 eyes from age- and sex-matched healthy individuals. In the glaucoma group the antiglaucomatous therapy was paused 3 weeks prior to the investigations. Measurement of optic nerve head blood flow was performed with LSFG. The mean blur rate was obtained for different vascular compartments of the optic nerve head. Parameters for the characterization of pulse-waveform of the mean blur rate were calculated. It was shown that the mean blur rate was significantly lower in the glaucoma group compared to the control group (P < 0.001). The significant differences in the pulse-waveform parameters blow out time (P = 0.028) and flow acceleration time index (P < 0.001) indicate a flatter curve in NTG patients. In conclusion, LSFG can detect differences in optic nerve head blood flow between eyes with normal tension glaucoma and healthy eyes.

[1]  A. Coleman,et al.  Blood pressure, perfusion pressure, and glaucoma. , 2010, American journal of ophthalmology.

[2]  Motohiro Shirakashi,et al.  Relationship between optic nerve head microcirculation and visual field loss in glaucoma. , 2003, Acta ophthalmologica Scandinavica.

[3]  Jaewan Choi,et al.  Circadian fluctuation of mean ocular perfusion pressure is a consistent risk factor for normal-tension glaucoma. , 2007, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[4]  Jaewan Choi,et al.  Effect of nocturnal blood pressure reduction on circadian fluctuation of mean ocular perfusion pressure: a risk factor for normal tension glaucoma. , 2006, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[5]  T. Sugiyama,et al.  Changes in optic nerve head blood flow induced by the combined therapy of latanoprost and beta blockers , 2009, Acta ophthalmologica.

[6]  J. Dufaux,et al.  Optic nerve head blood flow using a laser Doppler velocimeter and haemorheology in primary open angle glaucoma and normal pressure glaucoma. , 1994, The British journal of ophthalmology.

[7]  J. Hakkola,et al.  Metabolism of Ophthalmic Timolol: New Aspects of an Old Drug , 2011, Basic & clinical pharmacology & toxicology.

[8]  A. Ferreras,et al.  Predictive value of retrobulbar blood flow velocities in glaucoma suspects. , 2012, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[9]  K. Maruyama,et al.  Waveform analysis of ocular blood flow and the early detection of normal tension glaucoma. , 2013, Investigative ophthalmology & visual science.

[10]  Leopold Schmetterer,et al.  How can blood flow be measured? , 2007, Survey of ophthalmology.

[11]  J. Flanagan,et al.  Vascular Reactivity of Optic Nerve Head and Retinal Blood Vessels in Glaucoma—A Review , 2010, Microcirculation.

[12]  T. Nakazawa,et al.  Correlation between optic disc microcirculation in glaucoma measured with laser speckle flowgraphy and fluorescein angiography, and the correlation with mean deviation , 2014, Clinical & experimental ophthalmology.

[13]  Douglas R. Anderson,et al.  Clinical Decisions In Glaucoma , 1993 .

[14]  T. Sugiyama,et al.  Effects of caffeine on microcirculation of the human ocular fundus. , 2001, Japanese journal of ophthalmology.

[15]  R. Vessani,et al.  Intraocular pressure profile during the modified diurnal tension curve using Goldman applanation tonometry and dynamic contour tonometry , 2009, Journal of ocular biology, diseases, and informatics.

[16]  L. Schmetterer,et al.  Ocular Blood Flow Measurements in Healthy White Subjects Using Laser Speckle Flowgraphy , 2016, PloS one.

[17]  Leopold Schmetterer,et al.  Use of laser speckle flowgraphy in ocular blood flow research , 2010, Acta ophthalmologica.

[18]  R. Sergott,et al.  Color Doppler analysis of ocular vessel blood velocity in normal-tension glaucoma. , 1994, American journal of ophthalmology.

[19]  L. Schmetterer,et al.  Optic nerve head and retinal blood flow regulation during isometric exercise as assessed with laser speckle flowgraphy , 2017, PloS one.

[20]  I. Tavares,et al.  Normal-tension glaucoma: an update. , 2016, Arquivos brasileiros de oftalmologia.

[21]  H. Quigley,et al.  The number of people with glaucoma worldwide in 2010 and 2020 , 2006, British Journal of Ophthalmology.

[22]  B. Sjöquist,et al.  Ocular and systemic pharmacokinetics of latanoprost in humans. , 2002, Survey of ophthalmology.

[23]  T. Nakazawa,et al.  Significant correlations between optic nerve head microcirculation and visual field defects and nerve fiber layer loss in glaucoma patients with myopic glaucomatous disk , 2011, Clinical ophthalmology.

[24]  H. Quigley.  Number of people with glaucoma worldwide. , 1996, The British journal of ophthalmology.

[25]  Tien Yin Wong,et al.  Retinal vessel caliber is associated with the 10-year incidence of glaucoma: the Blue Mountains Eye Study. , 2013, Ophthalmology.

[26]  K. Johnson.  An Update. , 1984, Journal of food protection.

[27]  L. Schmetterer,et al.  Ocular perfusion pressure and ocular blood flow in glaucoma , 2013, Current opinion in pharmacology.

[28]  J. Piltz-seymour,et al.  Association between lower optic nerve laser Doppler blood volume measurements and glaucomatous visual field progression , 2003, The British journal of ophthalmology.

[29]  M. Rivard,et al.  Reproducibility of retinal and optic nerve head perfusion measurements using scanning laser Doppler flowmetry. , 2003, Ophthalmic surgery, lasers & imaging : the official journal of the International Society for Imaging in the Eye.

[30]  T. Nakazawa,et al.  Correlation of Optic Nerve Microcirculation with Papillomacular Bundle Structure in Treatment Naive Normal Tension Glaucoma , 2014, Journal of ophthalmology.