Role of ocular blood flow in normal tension glaucoma

Xingdi Wu; Katarzyna Konieczka; Xin Liu; Min Chen; Ke Yao; Kaijun Wang; Josef Flammer

doi:10.1016/j.aopr.2022.100036

Role of ocular blood flow in normal tension glaucoma

Adv Ophthalmol Pract Res. 2022 Feb 16;2(1):100036. doi: 10.1016/j.aopr.2022.100036. eCollection 2022 May-Jun.

Authors

Xingdi Wu¹, Katarzyna Konieczka², Xin Liu¹, Min Chen¹, Ke Yao¹, Kaijun Wang¹, Josef Flammer²

Affiliations

¹ Eye Center of the 2nd Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, China.
² Department of Ophthalmology, University of Basel, Mittlere Strasse 91, Basel, 4031, Switzerland.

Abstract

Background: Normal tension glaucoma (NTG) is a multifactorial disease in the pathogenesis of which intraocular pressure (IOP)-independent factors play a key role.

Main text: There is considerable evidence that impairment of the ocular blood flow (OBF) is involved both in the onset and progression of this disease. With the development of the hypothesis of OBF in NTG, various imaging techniques have been developed to evaluate the OBF and blood vessels. Moreover, vascular dysregulation, which is a main factor in Flammer syndrome, was frequently observed in NTG patients. Disturbed OBF leads to increased oxidative stress, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. These results suggested that IOP-independent management may provide alternative treatment options for NTG patients.

Conclusions: In this review, we mainly focus on the mechanisms of the abnormal OBF in NTG.

Keywords: Flammer syndrome; Normal tension glaucoma; Ocular blood flow; Oxidative stress; Vascular dysregulation.

Publication types

Review