Blood pressure and pressure amaurosis.
Susceptibility to pressure amaurosis was measured in young research subjects before and during blood pressure elevation induced by intravenous infusions of phenylephrine. Intraocular pressure elevations were produced by paralimbal suction; we measured the highest level to which intraocular pressure could be raised without obliterating perception of a slowly flickering stimulus in the nasal field of vision. Elevation of systemic blood pressure was accompanied in all subjects by a corresponding increase in the highest "safe" level of intraocular pressure. This observation confirms the commonly held hypothesis that pressure amaurosis is the result of pressure-induced neuroretinal ischemia.
D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001766:Blindness / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005123:Eye / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D007429:Intraocular Pressure; D007511:Ischemia; D009884:Ophthalmodynamometry; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D014065:Tonometry, Ocular
D010656:Phenylephrine; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D001285:Atropine