A Review on the Physiological and Pharmacological Influence of Vascular Tone in Choroidal and Conjunctival Eye Territories

This review analysed the literature of the period 2006 2015 on the nervous and humoral control of choroidal (including the vascularization of iris and ciliary bodies) and conjunctival vascular tone. Articles referring exclusively to pathological eye and to retinal vasculature were excluded. Anatomically, choroidal and conjunctival vascular territories are two distinct territories with extensive anastomosis. In both territories active substances interfering with the adrenergic, histamine and serotonin control have been assessed. The influences in the area of the ciliary arteries/choroidal vasculature of many other vasoactive substances were studied. For substances that have been studied in both vascular territories, there were differences between the two territories. Differences in vascular reactivity are likely due to the variability in density of the different types of adrenergic, histamine and serotonin receptors, respectively.