Last updated on April 28th, 2023 at 04:18 pm
As if just sleepiness, diatebes, heart problems and general brain-fog weren’t enough, a study now reports sleep apnoea syndrome sufferers are at an increased risk of loss of vision compared to the general public.
NAION is the abbreviation for Non-artheric Anteroir Ischemic Optic Neuropathy, which on its turn is a fancy way of saying loss of vision. Insufficient blood supply damages the optic nerve which may impair or cause loss of sight. Cardiovascular problems including diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol levels may contribute to the risk of NAION. Since these health issues are common amongst sleep apnoea syndrome patients, it’s easy to see the link.
A study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology earlier this year confirms earlier reports of 70% of NAION patients having sleep apnoea.
Considering there is no accepted treatment to reverse the damage done by NAION, this is quite a scary thought for sleep apnoea patients. Preventing (further) damage can be done by making sure the blood flows as well and in as good a condition as possible. Successful sleep apnoea treatment will do much good to those who might be at risk. With CPAP, blood oxygen gets restored, the heart has less work to do and health improves overall. With proper nutrition, cholesterol can be controlled and blood sugar levels balanced.
So there you have it, yet another scary prospect for all those left untreated!