Abstract |
Purpose-To develope, an in vivo measurement device of ocular rigidity and compare the ocular rigidity of patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and control subjects Design-Prospective comparative clinical study Methods- In the first part of the current study, the pressure-volume relation and the ocular rigidity coefficient was determined in 79 patients operated for cataract. In the second part, ocular rigidity was compared among thirty-two patients with AMD (AMD group: 16 with neovascular and 16 with non-neovascular AMD) and 44 age matched control patients (control group), operated for cataract. This was achieved by injecting 200 μl of a balanced salt solution (in steps of 4.5 μl) through the limbus in the anterior chamber, while monitoring continually the intraocular pressure with a transducer. Results- The mean ocular rigidity coefficient (k=dP/dV σε mmHg] was found 0.0126 mmHg/μL (95% CI : 0.0112-0.0149). No statistically significant difference in ocular rigidity measurements between patients with AMD and control subjects (AMD: 0.0142+0.0077 vs Control: 0.0125+0.0049, p=0.255) was found. When we examined separately the two subgroups of AMD patients (neovascular and non-neovascular AMD), the average ocular rigidity measurements were higher in patients with neovascular AMD versus both control subjects and patients with non-neovascular AMD (neovascular AMD: 0.0186+0.0078 vs Control: 0.0125+0.0048, p=0.014; vs non-neovascular AMD: 0.0104+0.0053, p=0.004). Conclusions-Despite the limitations placed by the small sample of the examined cases, treated (with photodynamic therapy) patients with neovascular AMD have increased 93 ocular rigidity measurements compared with non-neovascular AMD and control patients. Increased ocular rigidity may have a role in the development of choroidal neovascularisation in AMD. 94
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