Changes in Eye Pressure and Anterior Chamber Depth With Oral Endothelin Antagonist Therapy

University of Colorado, Denver23 enrolled

Overview

There is growing evidence that a cause of glaucoma is linked to circulatory problems and poor auto-regulation of blood flow to the optic nerve. Pulmonary hypertension (PH)is a disease characterized by low oxygen levels in the blood and altered blood circulation. The decrease in oxygen delivery to the optic nerve could lead to the loss of nerve fiber layer(NFL)in the retina and the resulting visual field compromise. This situation is characteristic of glaucoma. The ability to identify NFL thinning early could lead to earlier diagnosis of glaucoma and more effective treatment to limit dysfunction from visual field loss. We hypothesize that the rate of structural damage to the NFL, a feature of glaucoma, is higher in patients with PH than expected in healthy populations lacking this disease.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Glaucoma Pulmonary Hypertension

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 80 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension * between the ages of 18 and 80 years * ability to undergo the various ocular exams. Exclusion Criteria: * patients with other diseases that could affect the nerve fiber layer * special populations; ie children, pregnancy, lactating females, prisoners

Locations (1)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Occurence of nerve fiber layer abnormalities

Time frame: Single Exam

Secondary Outcomes

Optic Nerve Head Structure

Time frame: Single Exam