title: Dependence of diameters and oxygen saturation of retinal vessels on visual field damage and age in primary open-angle glaucoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the interrelationship between the oxygen supply of the retina and its regulation with the severity of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).
  
  
  METHODS
  Central retinal artery (CRAE) and vein (CRVE) diameters and oxygen saturation of peripapillary retinal vessels in 41 patients suffering from POAG (64.1 ± 12.9 years) and 40 healthy volunteers (63.6 ± 14.1 years) were measured using the retinal vessel analyzer. All measures were taken before and during flicker light stimulation. The mean retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) was determined by OCT and the visual field mean defect (MD) was identified using perimetry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In glaucoma patients, CRAE (r = -0.48 p = 0.002) and CRVE (r = -0.394 p = 0.014) at baseline were inversely related to MD, while arterial and venous oxygen saturation showed no significant dependence on the severity of the damage. However, the flicker light-induced change in arterio-venous difference in oxygen saturation was correlated with the MD (r = 0.358 p = 0.027). The diameters of arteries and veins at baseline decreased with reduction of the mean RNFLT (arteries: r = 0.718 p < 0.001; veins: r = 0.685 p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vessel diameters showed a strong correlation with RNFLT and MD. This, as well as the reduction of stimulation-induced change in arterio-venous oxygen saturation difference with visual field loss, may be explained by a reduction of the retinal metabolic demand with progressive loss of neuronal tissue in glaucoma.
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Ramm
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors: Susanne
authors: S
authors: Jentsch
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Peters
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors: Lydia
authors: L
authors: Sauer
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors: Regine
authors: R
authors: Augsten
authors: Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Jena, Jena, Germany.
authors: Martin
authors: M
authors: Hammer
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005902:Glaucoma, Open-Angle / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000473:pathology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000473:pathology; D012171:Retinal Vessels / Q000473:pathology*; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D058609:Visual Field Tests; D014794:Visual Fields / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010100:Oxygen
keywords: layer thickness; neuro-retinal rim area; primary open angle glaucoma; retinal nerve fiber; retinal oxygen saturation