Fluorophotometry and the rate of aqueous flow in man. II. Primary open angle glaucoma

R. Z. Levene, J. N. Bloom and R. Kimura

By fluorophotometry, the aqueous outflow rates of 38 eyes of 22 patients with definite or suspected primary open angle glaucoma, who were not receiving therapy, were determined. Although the values obtained do not differ from normal, the factors that modify or control the flow rate are different in normal and glaucomatous eyes. The flow rate decreases as the pressure increases in the glaucomatous group but not in the normal group. The flow rate increases with anterior chamber depth and decreases with age in the normal group but not in the glaucomatous group. The fluorescein decay constant is a measure of the movement of fluorescein from the cornea to the aqueous. This constant increases as the pressure increases in the glaucomatous group but not in the normal group.