Vasomotor reactivity in the ophthalmic artery: Different from or similar to intracerebral vessels?

Objective: In order to evaluate hemodynamic features of ophthalmic arteries in patients with severe carotid artery stenosis, we assessed and compared vasomotor reactivity in the middle cerebral and ophthalmic arteries. Methods: Sixty-five patients (25 symptomatic, 40 asymptomatic) with severe (70-99%) internal carotid artery stenosis were studied using transcranial Doppler and the Diamox test. Results: Vasomotor reactivity was found to be similar in the middle cerebral and ophthalmic arteries on the side of severe carotid stenosis in both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. In contrast, the vasomotor reactivity of the ophthalmic arteries was significantly different from that of the middle cerebral arteries on the side of the normal or the non-significantly stenotic side of the internal carotid artery. Conclusions: These data suggest a specific autoregulative response of the ophthalmic artery compared to that of the middle cerebral artery and may shed light on the role of the ophthalmic artery in oculovascular hemodynamics. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.