Retrobulbar Short Posterior Ciliary Artery Hemodynamics in Patients with Pseudoexfoliation Glaucoma and Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

PURPOSE: To investigate retrobulbar blood flow changes in the short posterior ciliary arteries (SPCAs) in patients with pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (PEG) and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). METHODS: In this prospective study, there were 22 eyes in the PEG group, 28 eyes in the POAG group, and 28 eyes with senile cataract in the control group. Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), mean velocity (Vm), and resistivity index (RI) parameters of the temporal and nasal SPCAs were compared between the study groups. RESULTS: Mean temporal PSV, EDV, and Vm value were significantly lower in both the POAG group and the PEG group (P = 0.049, P = 0.004, P = 0.020), respectively. Temporal SPCA RI values were not significantly different between the groups (P = 0.115). CONCLUSION: There are retrobulbar blood flow changes in glaucomatous compared to nonglaucomatous eyes. However, SPCAs blood flow characteristics are similar between PEG and POAG subtypes.