Age, increased ocular and blood pressures, and retinal and disc fluorescein angiogram
B. Schwartz and J. Kern
From the densitometric and time curves of fluorescein angiograms of matched
groups of normal, ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous eyes, the time and
rate of filling of the retinal arteries and veins, optic disc, and
peripapillary choroid were measured. In the whole population of eyes, with
increasing age there was a decreased rate of filling of the retinal
arteries, optic disc, and the peripapillary choroid. With increased
diastolic blood pressure, increased time was needed to fill the
peripapillary choroid. Increased ocular pressures and decreased tonographic
outflow facility were particularly correlated with the decreased filling of
the retinal veins and the disc. Significant differences of circulatory
changes in the retinal arteries and veins were obtained between the normal,
ocular hypertensive, and glaucomatous eyes. Further evaluation of these
circulatory events could be clinically useful, especially in
differentiating normal from ocular hypertensive eyes in relation to the
effect of ocular pressure on the retinal and disc circulations.
