![]() ![]() 5 In general, the risk significantly increases with age and is higher in smokers. African Americans are 2.5 times more likely to present with OSA than Caucasians. In addition, this condition afflicts males twice as often as females. The majority of patients with OSA are overweight individuals with a large neck circumference (usually greater than 17 inches). 1,4 Sleep apnea is highly associated with the obesity epidemic facing our nation-as many, but certainly not all, OSA sufferers are also obese. The typical OSA patient tends to possess a distinguishing set of traits, sometimes referred to as “Pickwick syndrome”-after an overweight, chronically sleepy character in the Charles Dickens novel, The Pickwick Papers. Specialist about making adjustments to the mask and air pressure to With CPAP, and to encourage your patient to talk to their sleep It is important to review any ocular irritation complaints, particularly Pressure-lowering eye drops, so it is possible that this substantialĮlevation in pressure would not occur in patients on glaucoma therapy. 25 These studies were performed on patients who were not taking That the use of a CPAP mask can elevate IOP by up to 5mm Hg to 8mm Mouth and nose also results in a higher rate of bacterial ![]() Exposure of the eye to this air that has passed over the ![]() ![]() Of the mask and be directed toward the eyes, leading to dryness and For example, use of CPAP therapy can beĪssociated with ocular complications. Sleep apnea itself, some complications can be encountered in the While most of the conditions we’ve discussed are associated with Ophthalmic Complications Associated with CPAP Devices Substantial snoring is almost universally present, and snoring that stops during prolonged periods of apnea (a Greek word meaning without breath) is a particularly distinctive symptom of OSA. The body feels as if it needs to take a breath, so the patient gasps in an attempt to draw in more oxygen. This obstruction leads to lapses in breathing and decreased oxygen saturation in the blood, which the brain senses. In patients with sleep apnea, the tissue of the soft palate collapses during sleep, partially occluding the airway. In this article, we’ll look at what OSA is and which patients may be at higher risk, as well as common systemic and ophthalmic conditions associated with sleep apnea. While it is possible that you could play a role in spotting the condition, it is certain that you will have to deal with some of the complications that accompany the disease. And untreated sleep apnea leads to a host of systemic and ocular complications, so proper diagnosis and management are critical to the patient’s overall health. What does this potentially deadly sleep disorder have to do with eye care? Well, the increasing prevalence of this condition in the US means you will more than likely see many patients with diagnosed, undiagnosed and/or untreated OSA in your office. 2 More than 80% of patients with OSA are believed to be undiagnosed, and many more are diagnosed but go untreated for a variety of reasons just 10% of all OSA sufferers receive treatment. 1 The reported incidence rate varies substantially-with a high of 9% in the female Caucasian population and 24% in the male Caucasian population. Floppy eyelid syndrome in a patient with obstructive sleep apnea.įirst recognized nearly 50 years ago, obstructive sleep apnea has become an increasingly common condition in the United States. ![]()
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