Fluorescein angiographic defects of the optic disc in ocular hypertension.

Fluorescein angiograms of the optic disc were studied in 23 normal and 29 ocular hypertensive eyes. Significant differences in the frequency distributions of areas of defects were obtained between normal and ocular hypertensive eyes. Increased areas of filling defects were noted in ocular hypertensive eyes as compared to normals. There were also significant correlations of the areas of filling defects with age and systolic blood pressure in the ocular hypertensive eyes that were not present in the normals. These observations support the concept that fluorescein angiography of the optic disc demonstrates localized areas of impaired circulation that increase with ocular pressure, age, and systolic blood pressure. This technique may be useful in separating normal from the ocular hypertensive patient who shows changes in the circulation of the optic disc with increased ocular pressure.