Do we really need to worry about glaucoma?

[Claire]

Hi, all: There was a recent post about a connection between glaucoma and sleep apnea. The poster noted, if I remember correctly, that his eye pressure had gone up now that he was on cpap treatment.

What this seemed to imply was that the air pressure of cpap treatment had something to do with an increase in the pressure of the eye.

I went to the the Mayo Clinic site and looked at the info on glaucoma...

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/glauco ... DSECTION=1

After reading it, I could not see how air pressure to the lungs could affect the pressure in the eye which is caused by liquids created in the eye.

I plan to have my eyes checked soon...it's always a good idea, but I think it's entirely possible that the poster could have had his eye pressure go up without being on cpap.

Are there others out there who've noticed a change or are have many folks had eye checks and nothing has changed.

[sharon1965]

i don't know about the correlation between cpap and glaucoma, but i have read about a link between obstructive sleep apnea and glaucoma, something to do with hypoxia causing changes in the intraocular pressure

...my father, who has untreated OSA for years has also had glaucoma for more than 20 years...my brothers and i are screened regularly for glaucoma, and at my last checkup my eye specialist told me he noticed a slight narrowing, which could be indicative of narrow angle glaucoma developing..when i told him i had been diagnosed with OSA, he said that made sense, discussed the link with me and said that we'd have to continue to keep a close eye (pun intended) on my pressure...i'm hoping that a year on cpap will have helped, which i will find out at my next checkup

lavender mist has had some experience with this also; you could search under her name and see if you come up with any posts

[Guest]

Claire,

What I had read some time ago (do not now have the exact reference) was that s.apnea may be a potential cause for glaucoma. It did not distinguish between normal g. and low pressure g. My doctor said the jury is still out on this. So it is unlikely that lowering apnea will increase the risk of glaucoma, one would think just the opposite. Then again one never knows. Let us keep posting here anything we find in this area.

[Arizona-Willie]

I am one of the people who have discussed this on the board.

I have developed high inner ocular pressure which seemed to come on after I started using the hybrid mass, which is a nasal pillow mask.

My theory, and it's only my theory, is that the air is being injected through the nasal passage and some of it is going up the passage that goes up to the eyes.

Resulting in irritation to the eyes.

This may or may not be what has happened, I dunno.

Probably not, or else any and all masks could cause it also. Because all masks increase pressure in the throat in order to keep the airway open. There is nothing to prevent some of that pressure going up the tubes to the eyes.

I have gone back, reluctantly, to my old standby the Activa.

The Activa is a great mass, my only objection to it is the bulky size.
I get along with it quite well.

Although my eye doctor says the glaucoma doesn't appear to be diabetic, I'm leaning more and more to believing that it is.

My interocular pressure has been very good for my last several checkups.
But I'm on three different eyedrops three times a day to keep it that way.
I don't know if he will eventually wean me off of these drops or if it is going to be a lifelong thing.

[Guest]

My eye pressures have gone down since I have been on Xpap.

[Slinky]

I have glaucoma in my left eye. One eye drop nightly has maintained a good, stable pressure for the last 5 years or so. I've been on CPAP for 19 months w/NO CHANGE in pressure until just recently after two prednisone dosing regimens and a steroid inhaler for COPD.

Both are risk factors for glaucoma. We'll know more in 2 months when we do another eye check. For the time being the eye drop has still kept my pressure out of the danger range but 2 "degrees" higher than it has been the last 5 years.

I wonder if FOR SOME mask leaks around the eyes, drying them out somewhat thickens the eye fluid thus blocking the duct and raising pressure? Mask leak around the eye is one leak I will NOT tolerate!

[puffing billy]

I have had 4 laser and 1 surgical operations for Glaucoma and have been on XPAP for over 2 years and the pressure in my eyes has not changed at all. However I will mention this to my eye surgeon next time I see him.

Billy

[Shilohcane]

Every thing I read on-line about Glaucoma and cpap seems to say by treating with nasal continuous positive airway pressure, a worsening of glaucoma was prevented.


BTW, The retina is a thin sheet of brain tissue in the eyes. New studies of Glaucoma has shown that it could be caused by a rogue amyloid-beta protein that attaches to the retina. Some of he new Alzheimer's disease drugs like AAB-001 clears that same amyloid-beta proteins have shown the ability to clear the protein in some of the Alzheimer trials. This is a few years off but results have been seen on Glaucoma in the Alzheimer trials.

[Niceguy2018]

I have had 4 laser and 1 surgical operations for Glaucoma and have been on XPAP for over 2 years and the pressure in my eyes has not changed at all. However I will mention this to my eye surgeon next time I see him.

Billy

what was your eye surgeon's response to your question ?

[heyslick]

I have glaucoma in both eyes, my sleep apnea went untreated for probably 5 years before i knew i had a problem. My last eye visit my pressure was up a bit, so i will keep a eye on it and see what happens. I hope the c pap isn't making the pressure go up.

[Lucyhere]

Niceguy and heyslick -- please note that you are posting in a very old thread - 2008.

It would be better, and you would get more replies, if you start a new thread.

[chunkyfrog]

A little off, but close to, the topic:
Has anyone else had trouble having to wait for a pharmacy to fill Latanoprost?
The nearest CVS claims they are having "supplier problems";
and I suspect they are trying to pressure me to use mail order.
---or the brand name--which costs about 10-20 times more.
@heyslick: cpap making glaucoma worse is highly unlikely.
And that is according to my ophthalmologist.

[heyslick]

Chunky frog, that is good to know, i was starting to worry about it. I better check and see if i can get my ordered but i get mine sent to me in the mail. Yes the name brand stuff is out of reach way to expensive.

[heyslick]

lucyhere, i guess i should pay attention to the year of the post, thanks for pointing that out.

[chunkyfrog]

Heyslick; "waking up a zombie" is a common occurrence here.
Sometimes it is a reminder that nothing is really new.
We have the same problems now as others had before.
I can only hope that your question is answered before you are sent out to sit in the hall.