Blood Flow and Functional Changes in the Retina and the Optic Nerve Due to Blunt Eye Trauma

Abstract

To assess the damaged regional blood flow and functional activity of the retina and the optic nerve, 96 patients (96 eyes) with a blunt eye trauma (BET) were observed, of which 62 patients (62 eyes) had mild BET (group I), and 34 patients (34 eyes) had moderate BET (group II). Using Ultrasound Doppler techniques, we revealed a statistically significant increase (p < 0.05) of the peak systolic velocity (Vsyst) in the ophthalmic artery (OA), and a decrease of Vsyst and the final diastolic velocity (Vdiast) in the central retinal artery (CRA) (p < 0.05) during the first three days after the trauma in both groups. The recorded photopic negative response (PhNR) in the cone ERG and visual evoked potentials (VEP) showed an inhibited electrical activity of the inner retinal neurons and the visual cortex and a delayed VEP latency. The degree of these changes depended on the severity of post-contusion effects. In patients of group II, a greater inhibition of VEP into small patterns, and a smaller PhNR amplitude in ERG in response to low and high stimulus intensities was observed. All patients displayed changes in the vascular and neuronal systems of the retina in the early post-contusion period, which almost fully disappeared after one month following a 1st degree trauma but remained in the 2nd degree trauma // Russian Ophthalmological Journal, 2016; 1: 32-38.

Keywords

• закрытая травма глаза
• глазной кровоток
• цветовое допплеровское картирование
• зрительные вызванные потенциалы
• фотопический негативный ответ
• blunt eye trauma
• ocular blood flow
• color doppler imaging
• visual evoked potential
• photopic negative response