Evaluation of short posterior ciliary artery blood flow in myopic patients

Aim
To assess short posterior ciliary artery blood flow in myopic eyes.

Material and methods
The study group consisted of 52 myopic patients (104 eyes) aged 18–79: 32 patients without concomitant degenerative changes (group I), and 20 patients with myopic crescent (temporal peripapillary atrophy). The blood flow in the short posterior ciliary arteries nasally and temporally to the optic disc was assessed in all patients.

Results
There were no significant difference in short posterior ciliary artery blood flow nasally to the optic disc between the two groups. There was a significant blood flow reduction temporally to the optic disc in patients with peripapillary atrophy as compared to those with no concomitant degeneration.

Conclusions
Myopic patients with temporal peripapillary atrophy had decreased short posterior ciliary artery blood flow temporally to the optic disc and impaired visual acuity as compared to those without myopic crescent. Ocular axial elongation, symmetrical on both sides of the optic disc, may suggest that peripapillary atrophy causes impaired perfusion temporally to the optic disc.