Could Your Eye Doctor Diagnose Sleep Apnea?

There are many ocular complications that can indicate sleep apnea.

Many people are well versed in the symptoms of sleep apnea, such as snoring, excessive sleepiness, sleep deprivation and insomnia, but did you know that aggravations of certain eye issues could also indicate sleep apnea? Here are a few eye conditions that are aggravated by sleep apnea:

Glaucoma

Glaucoma actually damages the optic nerve due to a buildup of moisture that leads to an increase in pressure in the eyes. Open-angle glaucoma is the most common form of glaucoma, and having sleep apnea increases your risk for developing open-angle glaucoma. Additionally, people with glaucoma are more likely to develop sleep apnea by almost 13 percent.

Floppy Eyelid Syndrome

In this eye condition, the patient has an upper eyelid that is floppy, large and can easily be turned outward or inward. Floppy Eyelid Syndrome has been known to cause eye irritation, discharge, redness and eyelids that randomly flip over during sleep. Obesity is thought to be a risk factor of Floppy Eyelid Syndrome, just as it for sleep apnea, and a whopping 96 percent of people who suffer from Floppy Eyelid Syndrome also suffer from sleep apnea.

At CPAP Liquidators, not only do we offer new and used CPAP machines, we also want to help you learn about sleep apnea and the complications associated with it. These are just a couple of the ocular issues that are complicated by sleep apnea. Stay tuned for our next blog to learn about more ocular issues that sleep apnea can aggravate.