Ocular Blood Flow in Early Glaucoma Patients Before and After Treatment With Dorzolamide

High intraocular pressure (IOP) is the major risk factor for glaucoma. Lowering intraocular pressure is still the only accepted form of treatment for glaucoma. Over the past decade, epidemiological and experimental evidence suggested that impaired ocular blood flow is an important risk factor with an important role in the pathogenesis of primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Several studies suggest that ischemia-promoting vascular factors may contribute to glaucomatous damage including vasospasm, impaired ocular perfusion pressure and general vascular disorders such as low blood pressure, especially dips in blood pressure at night. Different techniques are employed to assess vascular dysfunction in the eye. As the methodology of ocular blood flow assessment is complex and differs in various aspects (e.g. target tissue and physiological parameters), comparative studies are required in order to enhance the interpretation of these measurements. Our laboratory has state of the art equipment to assess ocular blood flow. One study done by us suggested that one drop of Dorzolamide 2% does not improve retinal blood flow in normal eyes. In the present study we plan to extend this study to 2 weeks of treatment in patients with POAG. Dorzolamide hydrochloride 2% is a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor which reduces intraocular pressure (IOP) by decreasing the production of aqueous humour. Pharmacological studies on volunteers and glaucoma patients, using Color Doppler Imaging (measuring the retrobulbar blood flow) and Scanning laser Ophthalmoscopy (measuring arteriovenous passage time), indicate that topically applied Dorzolamide may increase perfusion of the optic nerve and peripapillary retina.