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Optic nerve head blood flow measurements in non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy

Eye volume 14, pages 828–833 (2000)Cite this article

Abstract

Purpose To determine whether a decrease in blood flow, measured by the Heidelberg retiinal flowmeter, can characterise a disc at risk and predict the occurrence of non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (NAION).

Methods Blood flow, volume and velocity were measured in the optic nerve heads of 14 unaffected fellow eyes of patients with unilateral NAION, and compared with those of the affected eyes and of the eyes of 7 age- matched healthy controls.

Results The affected eyes were found to differ from the unaffected eyes in all three haemodynamic parameters. Flow (measured in arbitrary units) is the most important parameter to be taken into consideration. Blood flow was significantly lower in affected than in unaffected eyes (upper rim, p < 0.05; lower rim, p < 0.025). It was also significantly lower in the unaffected eyes than in the healthy control eyes (p < 0.005, upper and lower rims), and in the affected eyes than in the control eyes (p < 0.00005, upper and lower rims).

Conclusion Decreased blood flow in the optic nerve head may indicate a risk for NAION and be considered a characteristic of the disc at risk.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Ophthalmology Department, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel

    Hana Leiba, Rony Rachmiel, Ayala Pollack & Miriam Zalish

  2. Glaucoma Research and Diagnostic Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA

    Alon Harris & Larry Kagemann

Authors
  1. Hana Leiba
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  2. Rony Rachmiel
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  3. Alon Harris
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  4. Larry Kagemann
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  5. Ayala Pollack
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  6. Miriam Zalish
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Additional information

Presented as a poster at the International Congress of Ophthalmology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 21-26 June 1998, and at ARVO, Florida, USA, 9-14 May 1999, and as a paper at the European Neuroophthalmological Society Meeting, Jerusalem, Israel, 31 August-2 September 1999

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Leiba, H., Rachmiel, R., Harris, A. et al. Optic nerve head blood flow measurements in non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy. Eye 14, 828–833 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2000.231

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/eye.2000.231

Keywords

  • Anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy
  • Blood flow

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