Obstructive Sleep Apnea & Eyes: The Ophthalmologist’s Role

[D.H.]

This article says that there things that Ophthalmologists see during routine (and non-routine) examinations that should lead them to sound the alarm about possible Sleep Apnea.

Link ===> https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/obst ... ist-s-role

[Julie]

Based on their very outdated idea of 'risk factors for apnea', I'd be hesitant to believe a lot else in the article, though much of it sounds reasonable.

[D.H.]

Based on their very outdated idea of 'risk factors for apnea', I'd be hesitant to believe a lot else in the article, though much of it sounds reasonable.

I assume that you're referring to the light blue box in the middle of the article. I'm not sure if the author of the article put that there or the editor of the magazine just stuck it in.

[robysue]

Having read the article my observations are:

It was published in 2013, so it's not like its an ancient article.

In spite of the blue box in the middle of the article with the standard stereotypes, the article itself does not rely on standard stereotypes of OSA suffers. It does present a rather lengthy list of ophthalmologic conditions that should suggest recommending a sleep study to ophthalmology patients. The incidental mentions of actual patients seem to include OSA patients who do not fit the standard OSA stereotype, and in my opinion the authors' point of publishing the article is to increase awareness of the connections between undiagnosed OSA and a number of eye conditions that ophthalmologists are likely to see and diagnosis in regular eye examinations. And the upshot of the article is a strong recommendation to ophthalmologists to refer their patients with these conditions either directly to a sleep doctor (if the suspicion of OSA is high) or to their PCP with a recommendation of following up on the potential OSA issue (if the suspicion of OSA is moderate or low).

[D.H.]

I think that there will be more and more things for various specialists (and primary care physicians) to look for as indicators of Sleep Apnea (or other sleep related issues).

[chunkyfrog]

It has occurred to me that dentists might also be in a position to observe apneas,
and report suspicions to the patient.
After all, how many people sleep through a root canal? With just Novocaine?

[palerider]

It has occurred to me that dentists might also be in a position to observe apneas,
and report suspicions to the patient.
After all, how many people sleep through a root canal? With just Novocaine?

Park did an interview with a dentist from the other coast who wrote about about all the people that he's been sending to get sleep studies, based on things like bruxism, and peering down their throats while working on their teeth.