Purpose: Inhibition of carbonic anhydrase in the eye is an important treatment modality for reducing the intraocular pressure in glaucoma. However, evidence suggests that carbonic anhydrase inhibition also exerts a relaxing effect on the vessels in the optic nerve, and it has been suggested that this vasorelaxing effect is a result of an interplay between the perivascular tissue and constituents in the retinal vascular wall. However, the exact nature of this interplay is unknown.
Methods: Isolated porcine retinal arterioles and arterioles with preserved perivascular retinal tissue were mounted in a myograph. After precontraction with the prostaglandin analogue U46619, the vasorelaxing effect of the carbonic anhydrase inhibitors methyl bromopyruvate, ethyl bromopyruvate, acetazolamide, and dorzolamide were studied.
Results: All the examined carbonic anhydrase inhibitors induced a significant relaxation of retinal arterioles. There was no significant difference between the effect of the different carbonic anhydrase inhibitors in the presence of perivascular retinal tissue. However, in the isolated retinal arterioles the vasodilating effect of dorzolamide was significantly lower, and the vasodilating effect of acetazolamide almost disappeared.
Conclusions: A further elucidation of the mechanisms of action of carbonic anhydrase-induced dilation of retinal arterioles may contribute to a better understanding of the regulation of retinal blood flow. The perivascular retinal tissue may play a significant role in diameter control of retinal arterioles.