Significance of cilioretinal arteries in primary open angle glaucoma
K. A. Lindenmuth, G. L. Skuta, D. C. Musch and M. Bueche
Department of Ophthalmology, W.K. Kellogg Eye Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48105-1994.
Greater optic nerve and visual field damage has been reported in eyes with
primary open angle glaucoma that also have cilioretinal arteries compared
with fellow eyes that do not have cilioretinal arteries. The cilioretinal
artery may shunt blood from the posterior ciliary arterial circulation away
from the optic nerve, especially in the inferior and superior optic disc,
where early glaucomatous damage often occurs. To evaluate these
observations, we reviewed stereoscopic disc photographs of 122 patients
with primary open angle glaucoma. Twenty-one patients had unilateral
cilioretinal arteries and bilateral primary open angle glaucoma with an
intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg at presentation and a difference
of 3 mm Hg or less between the eyes. Stereoscopic disc photographs and
Goldmann visual fields were evaluated in a masked fashion. In glaucomatous
eyes with comparable intraocular pressures, we found no significant optic
nerve or visual field differences in eyes with cilioretinal arteries
compared with eyes without cilioretinal arteries.
