Circadian Variations in Ocular Blood Flow in Glaucomatous and Normal Eyes

Inclusion criteria

For the glaucoma patients:

• Medical controlled Primary Open Angle Glaucoma with a history of more than 2 years
• Topical medication with beta-blockers (timolol, betaxolol, levobunol)
• IOP with medication < 22 mmHg (with a medical history of IOP > 22 mmHg)
• Visual field testing: mild glaucomatous defects (Humphrey 30-2 with MD>10)
• Optic nerve head: C/D-ratio between 0.4 and 0.9
• ametropy < 3 dpt
• Normal findings in the medical history and physical examination unless the investigator considers an abnormality to be clinically irrelevant

For the age matched control subjects:

• Normal findings in the medical history and physical examination unless the investigator considers an abnormality to be clinically irrelevant
• Normal laboratory values unless the investigator considers an abnormality to be clinically irrelevant
• Normal ophthalmic findings, ametropy < 3 dpt.

Exclusion criteria

For the glaucoma patients:

• History of trabeculectomy or laser trabeculoplasty
• Any other ocular disease with possible vascular involvement such as diabetic retinopathy, age related macular disease, retinal vein or artery occlusion.
• Uncontrolled systemic hypertension (defined as systolic blood pressure > 170 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure > 100 mmHg)
• Diabetes mellitus

For the age matched control subjects:

• abuse of alcoholic beverages, participation in a clinical trial in the 3 weeks preceding the study
• Symptoms of a clinically relevant illness in the 3 weeks before the first study day
• History or presence of gastrointestinal, liver or kidney disease
• Ametropy > 3 dpt