Short-Term Effects of Topical Tafluprost on Retinal Blood Flow in Cats

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the short-term effects of topical tafluprost, a novel prostaglandin F2α derivative, on feline retinal circulation. Methods: Seventeen (17) adult cats were anesthetized with enflurane and mechanically ventilated. One (1) drop of tafluprost (0.0015%; n = 8), latanoprost (0.005%; n = 5), or control vehicle (n = 4) was instilled in 1 eye and the fellow eye was untreated. We measured the intraocular pressure (IOP), vessel diameter, and blood velocity simultaneously for 120 min in the large retinal arterioles and calculated the retinal blood flow (RBF) with a laser Doppler velocimetry system. Results: Tafluprost 0.0015% significantly increased RBF (maximum change, 42.8 ± 4.2% [mean ± standard error of the mean; P < 0.01) and blood velocity (maximum change, 24.1 ± 3.3%; P < 0.01) for 120 min after instillation; there was no significant change in vessel diameter. Latanoprost 0.005% significantly increased RBF (maximum change, 31.7 ± 3.4%; P < 0.05); there was no sig...