¹Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Clinical Medicine Mannheim, Ruprecht-Karls-University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany

Correspondence: JB Jonas, Universitäts-Augenklinik, Theodor-Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, Mannheim 68167, Germany. Tel: +49 621 383 2652; Fax: +49 621 383 3803; E-mail: Jost.Jonas@augen.ma.uni-heidelberg.de

Received 24 October 2006; Revised 16 February 2007; Accepted 16 February 2007; Published online 23 March 2007.

Abstract

Arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy and nonarteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy are acute optic neuropathies, which have to be differentiated from each other. It was the purpose of this study to assess whether ophthalmodynamometry with an assessment of the collapse pressure of the central retinal artery (CRA) and vein (CRV) is helpful for that. Using a Goldmann contact lens-associated ophthalmodynamometer, the diastolic collapse pressure of the CRA and CRV were measured in six patients (eight eyes) with giant cell arteritis-induced anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (GC-AION) and in 10 patients (12 eyes) with acute non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION). CRA collapse pressure was significantly (P=0.001; 95% confidence interval (CI): - 68.7, - 20.0) lower in the GC-AION group (52.724.6 arbitrary units) than in the NAION group (97.025.8 arbitrary units). CRV collapse pressure did not vary significantly (P=0.47). As measured by ophthalmodynamometry, CRA pressure is significantly lower in GC-AION than in NAION. CRV pressure does not vary markedly. These finding may be helpful for the clinical differentiation between GC-AION and NAION, and may give hints for the pathogenesis.