This article is more than 5 years old. Information may no longer be current.
Sleep apnea associated with risk of open-angle glaucoma 5 years after diagnosis
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts
Obstructive sleep apnea was associated with an elevated risk of developing open-angle glaucoma within 5 years of sleep apnea diagnosis, according to a large cohort study.
“Often, [obstructive sleep apnea] leads to severe hypoxemia and increases vascular resistance, which may influence the development of ganglion cell loss,” the study authors said. “Previous studies have demonstrated [obstructive sleep apnea] to be associated with several eye disorders, such as floppy eyelid syndrome, keratoconus, papilledema, optic neuropathy, filamentary or infectious keratitis, papillary conjunctivitis and glaucoma.”
The retrospective study included 6,072 subjects with a mean age of 56 years who participated in the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database in Taiwan.
The study group comprised 1,012 subjects diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and a control group comprised 5,060 healthy patients without OSA.
The incidence of OAG per 1,000 person-years was 11.26 in the OSA group and 6.76 in the non-OSA group.
After data were adjusted for demographic factors and comorbidities, patients with OSA had a 1.67 greater risk of developing OAG than non-OSA patients. The difference was statistically significant (P < .001).
Subjects with OSA had significantly lower OAG-free survival rates than those without OSA (P < .001).
Disclosure: The study authors report no relevant financial disclosures.
Click Here to Manage Email Alerts