Poor sleep quality, including too much or Sleep, daytime sleepiness and snoring may be linked to increased risk of developing irreversible vision loss (glaucoma), according to a large UK biobank study published in the open access journal BMJ About opening . Findings underscore the need for sleep therapy as well as eye exams in high-risk groups, the researchers concluded. People with chronic sleep disturbances can be checked for early signs of glaucoma.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of blindness and may affect an estimated 112 million people worldwide by 2040.
is characterized by progressive loss of light-sensitive cells in the eye and damage to the optic nerve, the causes and contributing factors of which are still poorly understood. But if left untreated, glaucoma can progress to irreversible blindness. Researchers suggest that while population screening may not be cost-effective, targeted screening of high-risk populations The study may be cost-effective. And previously published research suggests that sleep disturbances may be an important risk factor.
To explore these questions further, the researchers set out to determine the risk of glaucoma in people with different sleep behaviors: insomnia; Sleeping too much or too little; night or morning time type (“owl” or “lark”); daytime sleepiness; and snoring. They recruited 409,053 participants in the UK Biobank, all aged 2006-10 Who provided details of their sleep behavior when recruited between the ages of 40 and 69.
Everyone’s sleep time is 7 to less than 9 hours a day is defined as normal, and within this range too little or too much. Chronotype is defined based on whether the person describes themselves as more of a morning lark or a night owl. Severity of insomnia—difficulty falling asleep or waking up frequently during the night—classified as Never/ Sometimes or often, while subjective daytime sleepiness was categorized as never/rarely, sometimes or frequently. The background information of potential influencing factors is taken from the questionnaire filled out when recruiting: age (average 57 years old), gender , race/ethnicity, education level, lifestyle, body weight (BMI), and poverty in the neighborhood.
Medical records and death registry data were used to track the health and survival of all participants until first diagnosis of glaucoma (admission), death, emigration, or end of the monitoring period (March 31, 2021), whichever comes first. Over an average surveillance period of over 10.5 years, 8690 cases of glaucoma were detected. Those with glaucoma tend to be older compared to those with glaucoma , were more likely to be men, long-term smokers, high blood pressure or diabetes without being diagnosed with the condition. Except for the chronotype, all four other sleep behaviors/behaviors are all associated with varying degrees of glaucoma risk related to elevation.
Short or long sleep duration was associated with an 8% increased risk; insomnia, 12%; snoring, 4%; and frequent Daytime sleepiness, 20%.
People who snore and experience daytime sleepiness are more likely to develop glaucoma than those with healthy sleep patterns 10% more likely, while those with insomnia and short/long sleep patterns were 13% more likely to develop glaucoma.
Results were similar when classified by different types of glaucoma.
This was an observational study, so cause cannot be determined. The researchers acknowledged that the study relied on self-reports rather than objective measurements and reflected only one point in time. They added that glaucoma itself may affect sleep patterns, rather than the other way around.
Explain the link between sleep disturbances and glaucoma, say researchers. Intraocular pressure, a key factor in the development of glaucoma, increases when a person lies down When sleep hormones are out of balance, it’s like insomnia, the researchers explained. Depression and anxiety often go hand in hand with insomnia and may also increase intraocular pressure, possibly due to dysregulated cortisol Produce, they advise. It has been suggested that sleep apnea (sudden cessation of breathing during sleep) may cause direct damage to the optic nerve. “Since sleep behavior can be modified, these findings underscore the importance of sleep Need for Intervention Potential eye screening for individuals with chronic sleep problems could help prevent glaucoma,” the researchers concluded. More information :
Association of Sleep Behaviors and Patterns with Glaucoma Risk: A Prospective Cohort Study in the UK Biobank, BMJ Open (2022) ). DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-063676
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