[Optic disc blood flow measured by scanning laser-Doppler flowmetry using a new analysis program].
OBJECTIVE
Using a new analysis program for scanning laser-Doppler flowmetry (SLDF) by a Heidelberg retina flowmeter (HRF), we studied the relation between flow and visual field or disc morphology.


METHODS
In 42 eyes of 21 patients with normal tension glaucoma (NTG) the mean-flow of the HRF blood flow parameters at the disc rim was measured and analyzed by a new analysis program for perfusion maps (the SLDF analysis tool), to minimize the influence of large vessels or/and artifacts caused by small eye movements. We investigated whether difference of the mean-flow between a pair of eyes had any relation to differences between a pair of eyes in visual field indices and those in disc morphological measurements of the Heidelberg retina tomograph.


RESULTS
We found statistically significant correlations between the mean-flow and optic disc parameters (Disk Area, Cup Area, Height Variation Contour, Cup Volume, Rim Volume, Mean RNFL Thickness). We found no statistically significant correlations between the mean-flow and visual field parameters (mean deviation, corrected pattern standard deviation).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggested that eyes with less flow in the optic disc rim have more advanced glaucomatous morphological changes.
Hayashi
N
N
Department of Ophthalmology, Self Defense Forces Central Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Tomita
G
G
Kitazawa
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009898:Optic Disk / Q000098:blood supply*; D014794:Visual Fields