Prevalence of glaucoma risk in sleep study participants

Theme: Glaucoma
What: Glaucoma
Part of: Glaucoma III: Old is New / Glaucome III: Faire du neuf avec du vieux
When: 5/31/2024, 04:15 PM - 05:45 PM
Where: Room | Salle 801

Abstract

Purpose: This study seeks to investigate the association between the severity and symptom length of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and the risk of glaucoma.

Study Design: This was a prospective cohort study. 

Methods: Patients who recently underwent a sleep study were offered participation if they met the following criteria: >40 years old, no previous glaucoma diagnosis, and no previous eye surgeries. Participants’ OSA severity was stratified using the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI). The length of their OSA symptoms was determined in months. Patients received a comprehensive eye exam in which several parameters were assessed to determine glaucoma risk including intraocular pressure (IOP), cup-to-disk ratio, visual field (VF) deviation, and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness. A one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s multiple comparisons test and linear regression was performed.

Results: The interim analysis (n=13) revealed a strong positive association between AHI and the cup-to-disc ratio (r²=0.4331) and temporal RNFL thickness (r²=0.4360). A weak positive association was found between length of OSA symptoms and mean inferior quadrant RNFL thickness (r²=0.3418) as well as between AHI and mean VF deviation (r²=0.3607). One-way ANOVA p-values revealed statistical significance (p-value<0.05) between the length of OSA symptoms and the following parameters: mean cup-to-disk ratio, mean average RNFL thickness, and mean superior quadrant RNFL thickness. 

Conclusions: Preliminary data suggest a potential link between the severity of sleep apnea and glaucoma risk. These data support and warrant the need for further patient testing to better understand the association between these two diseases.

Presenter(s)

Presenting Author: William Herspiegel

Additional Author(s):

Richard Zhang, Univeristy of Western Ontario

Vivek Patil, University of Western Ontario

Anastasiya Vinokurtseva, University of Western Ontario, Ivey Eye Institute

William Reisman, University of Western Ontario

Cindy Hutnik, University of Western Ontario, Ivey Eye Institute

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