Carotid artery disease and glaucoma

Five patients with evidence of severe bilateral carotid artery disease and increased intraocular pressure have been followed up for 3 to 12 years without the development of glaucomatous disc or field changes. Although it is frequently stated that glaucoma patients with low systemic or ophthalmic artery blood pressures show rapid progression of their eye disease, our patients show that this is not necessarily true. Other more important and largely unknown susceptibility factors determine the occurrence of glaucoma in patients with raised intraocular pressure.