[Vascular factors in glaucoma]

Abstract

The exact pathophysiology of glaucoma is not fully understood. Understanding of the vascular pathophysiology of glaucoma requires: knowing the techniques for measuring ocular blood flow and characterizing the topography of vascular disease and the mechanisms involved in this neuropathy. A decreased mean ocular perfusion pressure and a loss of vascular autoregulation are implicated in glaucomatous disease. Early decrease in ocular blood flow has been identified in primary open-angle glaucoma and normal pressure glaucoma, contributing to the progression of optic neuropathy. The vascular damage associated with glaucoma is present in various vascular territories within the eye (from the ophthalmic artery to the retina) and is characterized by a decrease in basal blood flow associated with a dysfunction of vasoregulation.

Keywords: Endothelin; Endothéline; Flux sanguin oculaire; Fluxmétrie laser Doppler; Glaucome primitif à angle ouvert; Glaucome à pression normale; Intraocular pressure; Laser Doppler flowmetry; Nitric oxide; Normal-tension glaucoma; Ocular blood flow; Ocular perfusion pressure; Oxyde nitrique; Pression de perfusion oculaire; Pression intraoculaire; Primary open-angle glaucoma.