Abstract
Anterior optic nerve blood flow was studied in nine patients with unilateral neurogenic optic atrophy using noninvasive techniques. Disk reflectometry measurements from temporal sites demonstrated a significant reduction in the index of blood volume in atrophic optic nerves as compared with the contralateral optic nerves (P < 0.00001). Laser Doppler measurements from the same temporal sites detected a significant reduction in the speed of blood (P < 0.002). On average, blood volume was decreased by 49% ± 11 % and blood speed by 30% ± 17%. Combining the results of these two techniques yielded a relative index of blood flow that showed a significant reduction in the atrophic nerves (P < 0.0001), averaging 64% ± 14% temporally. Nasally there was less reduction in blood flow. The results correlated well with clinical assessment of the degree of optic nerve damage (ρ = 0.92, P < 0.002). This study demonstrates that clinical neurogenic optic atrophy induces significant reductions in overall anterior optic nerve blood flow that are detected by these noninvasive techniques.
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