SLEEP IS AN ESSENTIAL PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE. THOUGH GENERALLY A TIME FOR HEALING, THERE ARE CHANGES TO THE BODY’S PHYSIOLOGY AND POSITIONING THAT CAN HAVE A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON GLAUCOMA AND EYE PRESSURE
Eye pressure is affected by aqueous fluid production and drainage. Although aqueous fluid production decreases during sleep, intraocular pressure increases due to blocking of the drainage system while lying flat.
Blood pressure generally decreases during sleep and stays low through the night. This long duration of relative hypotension has been linked to the worsening of glaucoma. In hypersensitive patients, lower night time blood pressure may decrease some cardiovascular risks. In patients with worsening glaucoma, either the patient or the ophthalmologist should speak with the primary care doctor to see if decreasing night time blood pressure medications can be taken.
Sleep apnea could also negatively affect glaucoma. Some individuals who are overweight or who snore heavily may be prone to episodes of cessation of breathing during sleep. During these periods of reduced or absent breathing, there is a lack of oxygen going to the optic nerve, potentially causing further damage in glaucoma patients. Because sleep apnea can cause worsening of glaucoma, it is important to recognize and appropriately treat it.
Finally, too little or too much sleep has been linked to visual field defects in glaucoma patients. The ideal amount of sleep is different for each individual but the suggested amount is 5-9 hours. Having both your eye and primary care doctors closely monitor the sleep conditions mentioned above can be a vision and life saver.
Reference: Gleams Newsletter, January 2021
https://www.glaucoma.org/glaucoma/how-does-sleep-affect-glaucoma.php