[Doppler ultrasonography of orbital vessels in circulatory disorders of the eye].

During the past 5 years 412 patients (189 male, 223 female) presenting with vascular disorders were examined with Doppler ultrasonography (DUSG) of the orbital vessels. DUSG was used as a screening method for detecting additional lesions of the carotid system. The 412 patients were divided into 5 groups according to their clinical symptoms: Group I: amaurosis fugax; group II: occlusions of the central retinal artery; group III: venous circulatory disorders of the retina; group IV: AION and optic disk vasculitis; group V: symptoms of chronic ocular ischemia. DUSG disclosed a high percentage of additional carotid lesions in groups I and II. In retinal venous disorders, in idiopathic non-arteritic AION and in optic disk vasculitis DUSG findings usually were negative. In contrast to this, DUSG furnished valuable diagnostic information in arteritic AION, where nearly 50% of DUSG findings were positive. Carotid angiography, echo-flow examination of the carotid system and temporal biopsy were used as reference methods.