ABSTRACT

It has been demonstrated that ischemia and systemic hypertension each are the risk factors for elevated intraocular pressure. In this study some of the risk factors important for glaucoma in patients with ischemic heart disease were evaluated. Otherwise healthy patients with age of >35 years and diagnosed to have ischemic heart disease by the Department of Cardiology were included in the study. Central corneal thickness measurements of the patients were made with Pacline Opticone Ultrasonic Pacimetry, and intraocular pressures were measured with Goldmann applanation tonometry. Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were made with NFA II (GDx VCC). A total of 90 eyes of 51 patients (39 male and 12 female) in the patient group and a total of 100 eyes of 50 cases (35 male and 15 female) in the control group were enrolled in the study. There were no significant differences between the control and study groups with respect to age and gender. Intraocular pressure was 16.58±2.92 mmHg in the patient group and 16.86±2.92 mmHg in the control group, and there was no statistically significant difference between the groups. Central corneal thickness was 538.97±36.23 in the patient group and 542.13±38.45 in the control group, and there was no significant difference between the groups. There were also no significant differences between the study and control groups with respect to parameters such as TSNIT, SA, IA and NFI in the measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness. Intraocular pressure, central corneal thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measurements were not found as high enough to be risk factors for glaucoma in patients with ischemic heart disease.