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Ocular blood flow measurements in healthy human myopic eyes

  • Basic Science
  • Published:
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Abstract

Background

To evaluate the haemodynamic features of young healthy myopes and emmetropes, in order to ascertain the perfusion profile of human myopia and its relationship with axial length prior to reaching a degenerative state.

Methods

The retrobulbar, microretinal and pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF) of one eye of each of twenty-two high myopes (N = 22, mean spherical equivalent (MSE) ≤−5.00D), low myopes (N = 22, MSE−1.00 to−4.50D) and emmetropes (N = 22, MSE ± 0.50D) was analyzed using color Doppler Imaging, Heidelberg retinal flowmetry and ocular blood flow analyser (OBF) respectively. Intraocular pressure, axial length (AL), systemic blood pressure, and body mass index were measured.

Results

When compared to the emmetropes and low myopes, the AL was greater in high myopia (p < 0.0001). High myopes showed higher central retinal artery resistance index (CRA RI) (p = 0.004), higher peak systolic to end diastolic velocities ratio (CRA ratio) and lower end diastolic velocity (CRA EDv) compared to low myopes (p = 0.014, p = 0.037). Compared to emmetropes, high myopes showed lower OBFamplitude (OBFa) (p = 0.016). The POBF correlated significantly with the systolic and diastolic blood velocities of the CRA (p = 0.016, p = 0.036). MSE and AL correlated negatively with OBFa (p = 0.03, p = 0.003), OBF volume (p = 0.02, p < 0.001), POBF (p = 0.01, p < 0.001) and positively with CRA RI (p = 0.007, p = 0.05).

Conclusion

High myopes exhibited significantly reduced pulse amplitude and CRA blood velocity, the first of which may be due to an OBF measurement artefact or real decreased ocular blood flow pulsatility. Axial length and refractive error correlated moderately with the ocular pulse and with the resistance index of the CRA, which in turn correlated amongst themselves. It is hypothesized that the compromised pulsatile and CRA haemodynamics observed in young healthy myopes is an early feature of the decrease in ocular blood flow reported in pathological myopia. Such vascular features would increase the susceptibility for vascular and age-related eye diseases.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Dr. Dheeraj Bansal for his invaluable technical support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biological Sciences, SUNY College of Optometry, 33 West 42nd Street, New York, 10036, USA

    Alexandra Benavente-Pérez

  2. School of Life and Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK

    Sarah L. Hosking & Nicola S. Logan

  3. Department of Optometry and Visual Science, City University, London, UK

    Sarah L. Hosking

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

    Sarah L. Hosking

  5. Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, Norwich, UK

    David C. Broadway

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  1. Alexandra Benavente-Pérez
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  2. Sarah L. Hosking
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  3. Nicola S. Logan
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Correspondence to Alexandra Benavente-Pérez.

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Benavente-Pérez, A., Hosking, S.L., Logan, N.S. et al. Ocular blood flow measurements in healthy human myopic eyes. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 248, 1587–1594 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-010-1407-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-010-1407-9

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