Age-related Macular Degeneration
Conditions
Keywords
AMD, rigidity, pulsatile ocular blood flow, Physiology of the eye
Brief summary
Several methods have been proposed for the measurement of pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF). The pneumatic tonometer, which is commercially available, assesses POBF by measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) changes during the cardiac cycle. The investigators have recently developed a method for the measurement of ocular fundus pulsation, which is based on laser interferometry. In contrast to the Langham system the method is non-contractile and yields a high topographic resolution. Moreover, the pneumatic tonometer assesses the ocular pressure pulse, whereas ocular fundus pulsation is a point measure of the ocular volume pulse. These two parameters are related by the ocular rigidity, which refers to the mechanical properties of the eye coats. Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in the industrialized nations. The mechanisms behind this severe eye disease are, however, still obscure. It has been hypothesized that alterations in choroidal blood flow and ocular rigidity may contribute to the development and progression of AMD. However, there is currently little data to confirm this hypothesis. The present study is an attempt to investigate choroidal blood flow and ocular rigidity by employing laser interferometric measurement of fundus pulsation and pneumotonometric measurement of fundus pulsation.
Interventions
PROCEDUREblood flow measurement
Fundus pulsation amplitude measurement Pulsatile ocular blood flow measurement
Sponsors
Medical University of Vienna
Study design
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
SINGLE_GROUP
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
50 Years to 90 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Patients with AMD (defined as soft drusen \> 63 µm, hyperpigmentation and/or hypopigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), RPE and associated neurosensory detachment, (peri)retinal hemorrhages, geographic atrophy of the RPE, or (peri)retinal fibrous scarring) * Age between 50 and 90 years
Exclusion criteria
* Evidence of any other retinal or choroidal vascular disease * Regular use of pentoxifylline in the last month before the trial period * Evidence of a choroidal neovascular membrane * Diabetes mellitus
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Fundus pulsation amplitude | 10 minutes measurement of FPA |
| Pulsatile ocular blood flow | 10 minutes measurement of pulsatile ocular blood flow |
| Ocular rigidity | 10 minutes measurement of ocular rigidity |
Countries
Austria
Outcome results
None listed