Comparison of Ophthalmic Artery Velocity in Eyes with NAION and Normal Fellow EyesKhalil Ghasemi-Falavarjani

To compare ophthalmic artery velocity in eyes with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) with that of normal fellow eyes.

In this case-control study, 20 patients with unilateral NAION and disease onset less than 8 weeks, were enrolled. Using color Doppler imaging, mean, maximum systolic and end diastolic ophthalmic artery velocities were evaluated. The results were compared between the fellow eyes.

Twelve men and 8 women with a mean age of 54.6±11.8 years were included. Mean interval between disease onset and velocity measurements was 27.5±12.8 days. Mean (18.5±0.8 vs 19.9±2.8), maximum systolic (37.9±4.09 vs 39.7±3.1) and end diastolic (10.3±2.1 vs 12.3±2.5) ophthalmic artery velocities in NAION eyes were significantly less than that of the normal fellow eyes (P=0.01, P=0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). No significant difference was found in subgroup analysis of patients with and without diabetes, and with and without systemic hypertension.

NAION seems to be associated with changes in ophthalmic artery velocity.