May 2004
Volume 45, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   May 2004
Retinal Vessel Diameter and Glaucoma: the Blue Mountains Eye Study
K.B. Jakobsen; P. Mitchell; H. Leung; J.J. Wang; E. Rochtchina; A.J. Lee; T.Y. Wong; R. Klein; Blue Mountains Eye Study
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • K.B. Jakobsen
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • P. Mitchell
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • H. Leung
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • J.J. Wang
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • E. Rochtchina
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • A.J. Lee
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • T.Y. Wong
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • R. Klein
    Ophthalmology & Visual Science, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI
  • Blue Mountains Eye Study
    Ophthalmology, Centre for Vision Research, University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships  K.B. Jakobsen, None; P. Mitchell, None; H. Leung, None; J.J. Wang, None; E. Rochtchina, None; A.J. Lee, None; T.Y. Wong, None; R. Klein, None.
  • Footnotes
    Support  NHMRC 153948, NIH EY06594, HL 59259
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science May 2004, Vol.45, 4513. doi:
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      K.B. Jakobsen, P. Mitchell, H. Leung, J.J. Wang, E. Rochtchina, A.J. Lee, T.Y. Wong, R. Klein, Blue Mountains Eye Study; Retinal Vessel Diameter and Glaucoma: the Blue Mountains Eye Study . Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2004;45(13):4513.

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Abstract

Abstract: : Purpose: To examine the relationship between open–angle glaucoma and retinal vessel diameter in an older population, after adjusting for age, sex, blood pressure and other possible confounders. Methods: The Blue Mountains Eye Study included 3654 persons aged 49 years or older, representing 82.4% of permanent residents from an area west of Sydney, Australia. All participants underwent a detailed eye examination. A computer–assisted program measured retinal vessel diameters from digitized photographs of right eyes. Open–angle glaucoma was diagnosed from matching visual field defects and optic disc cupping, without reference to intraocular pressure level. Ocular hypertension was defined as intraocular pressure >21mmHg in either eye, without matching optic disc and field changes. Average retinal vessel diameters, measured from right eyes, were summarized as arteriolar and venular equivalents. The lowest quintile of arteriolar equivalent or arteriole–to–venule ratio was used to define generalized retinal arteriolar narrowing. Results: The study included 3307 participants, after excluding those with incomplete data or with non–glaucomatous optic nerve disease. In the right eyes of persons included, 54 (1.6%) had signs of glaucomatous damage, 3090 (93.4%) had no signs of damage, and 163 (4.9%) had ocular hypertension without evident optic nerve damage. Eyes with glaucoma had significantly narrower retinal arteriolar diameters (182±2.8µm) than eyes without glaucoma (194±0.4µm, p<0.0001) or eyes with ocular hypertension (197±1.6µm, p<0.0001), after adjusting for age, mean arterial blood pressure and other confounding variables. Eyes with glaucoma were at least three times more likely to have generalized retinal arteriolar narrowing than eyes without glaucoma, odds ratio (OR) 3.1, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.7–5.7. This association was stronger in women (OR 4.1, CI 1.8–9.1) and in smokers (OR 4.1, CI 1.7–10.1). Conclusions: These population–based data suggest that generalized retinal arteriolar narrowing is significantly associated with open–angle glaucoma. Whether such retinal microvascular changes reflect ischemic processes leading to glaucomatous damage or result from the loss of retinal neurons secondary to glaucoma, requires further investigation. These data demonstrate that glaucoma is an important confounder in assessing systemic relationships with retinal vessel diameter.

Keywords: clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: risk factor assessment • imaging/image analysis: clinical 
© 2004, 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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