Color Doppler Examination of Ophthalmic Artery in Normal Tension Glaucoma

Glaucoma can be defined as an optic nerve disease with typical morphological and functional changes. There are many risk factors associated with this neuropathy. The best known factor is an increased intraocular pressure there are however many other risk factors. Among them, vascular factors play a major role. Although such vascular factors have been postulated more than hundred years ago, it is only recently that the physiology and pathophysiology optic nerve head circulation is, to some extent, understood. Blood flow velocity in the extra-ocular vessels are reduced in patient with glaucoma. Reduced blood flow velocity may be secondary as well as contributory to glaucomatous damage. New instruments have been developed to measure ocular blood flow including blood flow in optic nerve head. Although most of the studies indicate that circulation is changed in glaucoma patients, there is little association between glaucoma seems rather to be a vascular deregulation leading to local vasospasm and to systemic hypotension.

In confirmed cases of normal tension glaucoma by disc and field changes were subjected to (1) measurement of peak systolic volume, end diastolic volume, systolic/diastolic ratio, resistance index, pulsitivity index of ophthalmic artery to know about perfusion of disc (2) measurement of blood pressure (3) measurement of blood sugar (4) refer to physician to rule out any, cardiac, vascular central nervous system and any other etiological problem.