Original Paper

Gender and Age Effects on Pulsatile Ocular Blood Flow
Orna Geyer^a, David M. Silver^b, Nurit Mathalon^a, A. David Massey<sup>c

a</sup>Department of Ophthalmology, Carmel Medical Center, Haifa, Israel;
^bThe Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel,Md., USA and
^cOBF Labs (UK) Ltd, Malmsbury, UK

Address of Corresponding Author

Ophthalmic Res 2003;35:247-250 (DOI: 10.1159/000072144)

  Key Words

• Pulsatile ocular blood flow
• POBF, age dependence
• POBF, gender-specific
• Pulse rate

  Abstract

Purpose: To examine gender and age effects on pulsatile ocular blood flow (POBF). Methods: Normal subjects, 152 females and 107 males, were separated into younger (40-50) and older (50-60) age groups. Results: For younger women, mean POBF (15.3 ± 3.7 µl/s) was significantly different (p < 0.01) than for older women (13.8 ± 3.5 µl/s), younger men (13.2 ± 3.3 µl/s), and older men (13.3 ± 3.1 µl/s). The mean POBFs for each of the latter three groups were not significantly different (p > 0.41) from one another. The four groups showed no significant differences in intraocular pressure (p > 0.07) or refraction (p > 0.46). Pulse rate for younger women was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than for the older two groups, but there were no significant pulse rate differences (p > 0.08) between other groups. POBF was not correlated with IOP (r² < 0.04), refraction (r² < 0.009) or pulse rate (r² < 0.04). Conclusion: Gender and age play an important role in POBF.

Copyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Orna Geyer, MD
Department of Ophthalmology, Carmel Medical Center
7 Michal Street, Haifa 64239 (Israel)
Tel. +972 4825 0926, Fax +972 4825 0492
E-Mail drgo@netvision.net.il

  Article Information

Received: July 9, 2002
Accepted after revision: April 14, 2003
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 25