Oliver Zeitz This is Me

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 Web References

1. 1. Blood Flow Measurement Can Indicate Glaucoma Progression - News - For Professionals - VisionConnection

   www.visionconnection.org/Conte - [Cached]

   Published on: 5/1/2005   Last Visited: 9/21/2006

   "Patients with progressive glaucoma have significantly reduced blood flow velocities in the short posterior ciliary artery and central retinal artery compared with patients who have stable glaucoma and compared to healthy controls," said Oliver Zeitz, MD, director of research, laboratory on glaucoma research, department of ophthalmology, Universitatsklinikum Hamburg-Eppendorf, Eppendorf, Germany. One hundred and fourteen glaucoma patients were enrolled in the study between January 2002 and June 2004. All patients had night and day intraocular pressure of 21 mm Hg despite therapy. Patients also had documented disc cupping and a visual field examination 3 to 9 months prior to entering the study. The researchers recruited 40 other individuals who did not have any eye disease or abnormalities, aside from cataracts or pseudophacia. The control group was examined by color Doppler imaging. The study excluded individuals with refractive errors of 4 diopters or greater, as well as those with cardiovascular diseases or medications that may affect hemodynamics, such as diabetes and arterial hypertension. Progressive glaucoma was found in 12 patients, Zeitz said. Additional disease progression was shown in 50% of the patients after follow-up. The stable glaucoma group showed no alteration in parameters. When the researchers scrutinized blood flow velocities with the ultrasound devices, they were able to observe that the velocities were reduced in the patients with progressive disease. "In summary, reduced blood flow velocities, particularly in the short posterior ciliary arteries, appear to be a risk factor for glaucoma progression," Zeitz concluded.