Central retinal venous pulsation pressure in different stages of primary open-angle glaucoma.

Background: To evaluate the central retinal venous pulsation pressure (CRVPP) in patients with intraocular pressure (IOP)-controlled early, moderate and advanced open-angle glaucoma and a healthy control group.

Methods: CRVPP was measured with a contact lens dynamometer calibrated in mm Hg (Meditron GmbH, Voelklingen, Germany) in 34 patients with IOP-controlled open-angle glaucoma who were selected consecutively and according to the stage of their visual fields and 27 age-matched healthy controls. If a spontaneous venous pulsation was seen, CRVPP was considered to be equal to IOP.

Enhanced pressure in the central retinal vein decreases the perfusion pressure in the prelaminar region of the optic nerve head.

Purpose: The pressure in the central retinal vein (CRVP) has been shown to be higher in glaucoma patients than in controls. Until now, these measurements have been performed in arbitrary units or in units of ophthalmodynamometric force. In our study, a contact lens dynamometer, calibrated in mm Hg, was used to calculate the retinal perfusion pressure.