Comparison of ocular perfusion pressure in primary open angle glaucoma patients and non-glaucoma controls attending ophthalmology clinic in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano
Being the text of the Council Lecture delivered by Dr Z. Mazai during the 49th Annual Scientific Conference of the Ophthalmological Society of Nigeria on 28th August, 2025
Keywords:
Ocular perfusion pressure, Glaucoma, ComparisonAbstract
Purpose: To compare ocular perfusion pressures (OPP) in primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) patients with age and sex-matched non-glaucoma controls and explore the relationship between the level of OPP and glaucoma.
Methods: In this cross-sectional comparative study, consecutive patients newly diagnosed with POAG at a tertiary hospital in northern Nigeria, along with age and sex-matched controls were selected and had detailed ocular examinations including intraocular pressure (IOP) and blood pressure measurements (systolic blood pressure, [SBP] and diastolic blood pressure, [DBP]) taken. The following were calculated: Mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP), Systolic ocular perfusion pressure (SOPP) and Diastolic ocular perfusion pressure (DOPP). The data was managed using IBM SPSS statistics version 20. T-test was used to determine the association between OPP and glaucoma. Level of significance was set at p<0.05.
Results: The mean IOP was significantly higher in POAG subjects (26.15mmHg ± 12.47 in POAG versus 13.10mmHg ± 3.10 in controls, p=<0.001). The MOPP (37.42 ± 12.37mmHg in the POAG group versus 48.05 ± 5.24mmHg in the control group, p<0.001), SOPP (97.03 ± 14.80mmHg in POAG group versus 105.09 ± 9.96mmHg in control group, p< 0.001) and DOPP (54.79 ± 12.93mmHg in POAG group versus 64.91 ± 7.46mmHg in control group, p< 0.001) were all significantly lower in the POAG group.
Conclusion: This study shows that MOPP, SOPP, and DOPP were all significantly lower in POAG patients compared to the control group. There is a need for further research to determine optimal ocular perfusion pressures that reduce the risk of glaucomatous damage.
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