Doppler Ultrasonography of the Ophthalmic and Central Retinal Vessels

B-Scan-guided, pulsed Doppler ultrasonography of central retinal vessels and ophthalmic arteries of 72 normal subjects gave the following average peak flow velocities: central retinal artery, 9.5 +/- 3.1 cm/s; central retinal vein, 5.7 +/- 1.5 cm/s; and ophthalmic artery, 31.6 +/- 9.0 cm/s. Doppler shifts in the central retinal vessels were absent at intraocular pressures above 80 mm Hg. Ophthalmic artery systolic, middiastolic, and end-diastolic velocities significantly declined as a function of age. The technique is independent of the status of the ocular media, is noninvasive, requires little time, and causes minimal discomfort.