comparison of ophthalmic artery velocity in eyes with naion and normal fellow eyes

purpose: to compare ophthalmic artery velocity in eyes with nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (naion) with that of normal fellow eyes. methods: in this case-control study, 20 patients with unilateral naion and disease onset less than 8 weeks, were enrolled. using color doppler imaging, mean, maximum systolic and end diastolic ophthalmic artery velocities were evaluated. the results were compared between the fellow eyes. results: twelve men and 8 women with a mean age of 54.6±11.8 years were included. mean interval between disease onset and velocity measurements was 27.5±12.8 days. mean (18.5±0.8 vs 19.9±2.8), maximum systolic (37.9±4.09 vs 39.7±3.1) and end diastolic (10.3±2.1 vs 12.3±2.5) ophthalmic artery velocities in naion eyes were significantly less than that of the normal fellow eyes (p=0.01, p=0.001 and p<0.001, respectively). no significant difference was found in subgroup analysis of patients with and without diabetes, and with and without systemic hypertension. conclusion: naion seems to be associated with changes in ophthalmic artery velocity.