Progressive Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG) and Ocular Blood Flow

Glaucoma is one of the most common causes of blindness in the industrialized nations. For a long time glaucoma has been defined as a disease in which high intraocular pressure (IOP) leads to irreversible optic disc damage and subsequent visual field loss. However, recent investigations show that IOP is not the only factor that is involved in the glaucomatous process leading to retinal ganglion cell death. The role of vascular factors in the pathogenesis of glaucoma has recently received much attention based on animal experiments and epidemiological studies. Genes with products that are involved in the regulation of blood flow to ocular tissues may also be considered plausible candidates as a contributory factor in the development of glaucoma. Little is, however, known about a potential association between glaucomatous optic neuropathy and glaucomatous visual field defects and optic nerve head blood flow in patients with progressive open angle glaucoma (OAG). The current study seeks to gain insight into this association by assessing ocular blood flow parameters with a number of noninvasive technologies.