Objective: To report the effect of cigarette smoking on the blood flow velocity of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), and posterior ciliary artery (PCA) in patients who smoke at least 20 cigarettes a day.
Methods: The color duplex scanner was used to measure the systolic and diastolic flow velocity of the OA, CRA, and PCA in 10 smokers and 11 nonsmokers.
Results: Both the systolic and diastolic flow velocity decreased in the OA, CRA, and PCA in smokers compared with nonsmokers. The systolic flow decreased by as much as 36% and the diastolic flow by as much as 52%. This decrease was significant for the flow velocity of the CRA and PCA but not for the OA. An increase in the resistance index was also found.
Conclusion: The authors believe that the decrease in the flow velocity of these vessels may be due to an increase in the vascular resistance of the vessels of the retina and optic nerve head in smokers. This may be important in patients with eye disease in whom altered blood flow already contributes to the ocular or orbital pathology.