Eye Problems and Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is a chronic condition that can negatively impact the health of your eyes. Sleep apnea is caused by something physically obstructing the flow of air through the airways, and it can lead to snoring, morning headaches, dry mouth, sore throat, difficulty concentrating, and high blood pressure. It can also negatively impact the delicate and fragile vessels in the eyes.

During undisturbed sleep, the system blood pressure decreases slowly. The vessels in your retinas dilate to match blood flow based upon oxygen and metabolic demands. In the event of sleep apnea, oxygen levels in the blood decrease rapidly and dramatically. The vessels in the retinas respond by dilating maximally to prevent retinal damage from oxygen deprivation. The brain responds by releasing epinephrine and norepinephrine hormones that cause blood pressure spikes. These hypertensive episodes throughout the night result in damage to the retinal tissue.

Being male, overweight, and over the age of 40 can increase your likelihood of developing sleep apnea, but the disorder can occur in anyone. If you believe you may suffer from sleep apnea, you should seek prompt treatment so that no long-term side effects can occur. The most effective way of treating the disorder is with a sleep apnea machine that gently forces air through your airways at night.