Disc Hemorrhages in Patients with both Normal Tension Glaucoma and Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion in Different Eyes

PURPOSE To document the clinical features of disc hemorrhage in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) and normal tension glaucoma (NTG), and to evaluate the relationship between BRVO and NTG with disc hemorrhages. METHODS From July 2001 to May 2006, sixteen patients with both NTG and BRVO in different eyes were successively collected from outpatient population of Seoul National University Hospital in this observational case series. The frequency and location of disc hemorrhages, history of associated systemic diseases, and the order of the time of diagnosis between NTG and BRVO were studied. RESULTS All patients had unilateral BRVO, and their mean age was 63.3+/-10.6 years. Disc hemorrhages were detected in eight patients (50%) during the mean follow-up of 26.8 months (range, 3-96 months). Six patients (75%) had disc hemorrhages in the non-BRVO eyes and two patients (25%) in BRVO eyes. Five hemorrhages (62.5%) were located at inferior-temporal quadrant of the optic disc. History of systemic hypertension was identified in 12 patients (75.0%). In 11 patients (68.8%), NTG was diagnosed at the same time as BRVO. CONCLUSIONS A higher frequency of disc hemorrhages was identified in patients with both BRVO and NTG. Therefore, some cases of NTG, especially with disc hemorrhages, may share a common vascular pathophysiology with BRVO.