April 2014
Volume 55, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2014
Racial Differences in Ocular Blood Flow in People with Healthy Eyes
Carine Olinde; Alon Harris; Brent A Siesky; Darrell WuDunn; Jennifer Eikenberry; Leslie Abrams Tobe; Damilola Awonusi; Ira Altaras; Lawrence C Ozobu; Lyne Racette
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Carine Olinde
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Alon Harris
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Brent A Siesky
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Darrell WuDunn
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Jennifer Eikenberry
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Leslie Abrams Tobe
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Damilola Awonusi
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Ira Altaras
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Lawrence C Ozobu
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Lyne Racette
    Department of Ophthalmology - Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute, Indiana University, Indianapolis, IN
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships Carine Olinde, None; Alon Harris, Adom (I), Alcon (R), Biolight (C), MSD (R), Nano Retina (C), ONO Pharmaceuticals (C), Pharmalight (C), Sucampo (C); Brent Siesky, None; Darrell WuDunn, None; Jennifer Eikenberry, None; Leslie Tobe, None; Damilola Awonusi, None; Ira Altaras, None; Lawrence Ozobu, None; Lyne Racette, None
  • Footnotes
    Support None
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2014, Vol.55, 2931. doi:
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      Carine Olinde, Alon Harris, Brent A Siesky, Darrell WuDunn, Jennifer Eikenberry, Leslie Abrams Tobe, Damilola Awonusi, Ira Altaras, Lawrence C Ozobu, Lyne Racette; Racial Differences in Ocular Blood Flow in People with Healthy Eyes. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2014;55(13):2931.

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Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to investigate differences in ocular blood flow between people of African descent (AD) and of European descent (ED) with healthy eyes.

Methods: Retrobulbar and retinal capillary blood flow were assessed in one randomly selected eye of each of 69 participants (26 AD, 43 ED) with healthy eyes. Based on a complete ocular examination, participants had normal appearance of the optic disc and intraocular pressure (IOP) of less than 22 mmHg. Visual function was assessed using standard automated perimetry (Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm, 24-2 program). Retrobulbar blood flow was measured using Color Doppler Imaging (CDI) in the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), nasal posterior ciliary artery (NPCA) and temporal posterior ciliary artery (TPCA). Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV) and the resistive index (RI) were estimated. Retinal capillary blood flow was measured using the Heidelberg Retinal Flowmeter (HRF). Comparisons between the two groups were performed using t-tests. Alpha was set at 0.05.

Results: No significant difference in age (AD: 52.0 ± 7.3 years; ED: 53.1 ± 9.2 years), gender (AD: 67.9% female; ED: 48.8% female), family history of glaucoma (AD: 17.9; ED: 14.6), IOP (AD: 16.3 ± 2.2 mmHg; ED: 16.4 ± 2.5 mmHg), central corneal thickness (AD: 554.8 ± 45.1 μm; ED: 561.6 ± 31.3 μm), visual field mean deviation (AD: -1.1 ± 1.9 dB; ED: 0.55 ± 1.3 dB; p = 0.85), visual field pattern standard deviation (AD: 2.1 ± 1.1 dB; ED: 1.9 ± 0.6 dB; p = 0.18), presence of diabetes mellitus (AD: 3.6%; ED: 0%), and presence of heart disease (AD: 0%; ED: 12.2%) was found between the groups (all p>0.05). PSV in the OA was lower in people of AD (AD: 5.2 ± 2.0; ED: 6.7 ± 2.4; p = 0.01) and lower EDV was observed in the OA (p=0.01), NPCA (p=0.03), and TPCA (p=0.02) in people of AD. Significantly higher RI was observed in people of AD in the CRA (p=0.01) and NPCA (p=0.01). No significant difference were observed in retinal capillary blood flow between people of AD and ED in the number of inferior (AD: 0.19; ED: 0.20; p= 0.18) and superior (AD: 0.17; ED: 0.18; p= 0.58) zero blood flow pixels.

Conclusions: The results of this study show differences in retrobulbar OBF in people of AD compared to people of ED with healthy eyes, but not in retinal capillary blood flow. This suggests a possible role of retrobulbar OBF in glaucoma in people of AD.

Keywords: 436 blood supply  
© 2014, The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc., all rights reserved. Permission to republish any abstract or part of an abstract in any form must be obtained in writing from the ARVO Office prior to publication.
Copyright © 2025 Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology.
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