Altered temporal peripapillary retinal flow in patients with disc hemorrhages

Background To investigate whether any peripapillary retinal blood flow changes are related to disc hemorrhage (DH). Methods The study included 21 eyes of 21 patients, of which 14 eyes had glaucoma. All eyes were examined at the time of detection of DH and again 6 months later. Blood flow in the peripapillary retina was measured by scanning laser Doppler flowmetry (Heidelberg Retina Flowmeter), with four adjacent images focused on the peripapillary nerve fiber layer obtained. Retinal perfusion was calculated in arbitrary units by automatic full-field perfusion image analysis. The mean of all four rectangles representing the whole temporal peripapillary retina plus the rectangle representing the area of DH served for analysis. Results The mean of measurements in all four areas revealed a statistically significant increase in mean flow (MF), systolic flow (SF), and diastolic flow (DF), and a decrease in pulsation index (PI). The rectangle representing the area of DH showed a significant increase in MF, but the SF increase was of borderline significance. Changes in DF and PI did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Results indicate reduced flow at the time of DH and increased flow after resorption.