Purpose: To evaluate the differences of ocular circulation in eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) after panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) with or without rubeosis iridis.
Methods: Sixteen cases with PDR after PRP were studied. There were eight cases with rubeosis iridis and eight cases without rubeosis iridis. All eyes were given a standard ophthalmic examination and orbital color Doppler imaging tests.
Results: The eyes with rubeosis iridis were found in patients who were significantly older (p = 0.05), had significantly lower systemic diastolic blood pressure (p = 0.01), and had significantly higher intraocular pressures (p = 0.03). End diastolic velocity was significantly slower and resistive index was significantly higher in the short posterior ciliary artery (p < 0.01, p = 0.02) and the central retinal artery (p = 0.01, < 0.01) in eyes with rubeosis iridis. A blood flow wave was not detected during diastolic phase in the short posterior ciliary artery in 2 eyes with rubeosis iridis, in the central retinal artery in 7 eyes with rubeosis iridis, and in one eye without rubeosis iridis
Conclusions: The marked decrease in end diastolic velocity in both the central retinal artery and the short posterior ciliary artery was associated with rubeosis iridis, which might be related to the decreasing ocular perfusion pressure.