New research from Taipei Medical University shows that sleep apnea can be a contributing risk factor for developing glaucoma.

The World Health Organization defines sleep apnea as a chronic condition that blocks breathing during sleep and affects more than 100 million people worldwide.  In obstructive sleep apnea, the airway becomes blocked, causing breathing to stop for up to two minutes.  Symptoms include loud snoring, gasping, or choking while asleep, morning headaches, and persistent daytime sleepiness.

Glaucoma affects nearly 60 million people and is the second-leading cause of blindness.

The study found that those who had been diagnosed with sleep apnea were 1.67 times more likely to have open-angle glaucoma in the five years after diagnosis than those without the sleep condition.

The results of the study will hopefully encourage more people to discuss the connection between sleep apnea and glaucoma with their ophthalmologist.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends all adults get a baseline eye exam from an ophthalmologist by age 40, when early signs of disease and vision changes may start to occur.

Speak to your ophthalmologist at Scottsdale Eye Physicians & Surgeons about testing for eye diseases.