Sleep Apnea Linked to Eye Disorders

For quite some time, obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder impeding your breathing while sleeping, has been linked with a variety of medical conditions. The most common include cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Recently, several eye conditions were added to that list.

The link between obstructive sleep apnea and eye conditions stems from the inhibition of the circulation of oxygen to your body's organs. When your breathing gets obstructed, all of your organs ultimately suffer the consequences.

Researchers have established a connection between sleep apnea and the following eye conditions:

• Floppy eyelid syndrome: Your eyelids turn inside out while you sleep, causing excessive watering, stickiness, discomfort, and blurry vision.
  
• Glaucoma: When not treated, it can lead to blindness. Primary open-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma are most commonly associated with sleep apnea. There is a direct relationship between the severity of your sleep apnea and the severity of your glaucoma.
  
• Nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION): People suffering from this condition experience a sudden painless loss of vision in one eye, generally right after awakening. If not treated, it can lead to irreversible blindness.
  
• Papilledema: A swelling of the optic nerve in both eyes. It is caused by pressure in your skull, and if untreated can lead to blindness.
  

If you have obstructive sleep apnea, it is a good idea to get a regular check-up with your ophthalmologist to make sure that you are not developing any of these eye disorders.