Abstract: CPAP and ocular surface

It's about time we started seeing some studies on CPAP and dry eye! This is the second study published on the topic in the last couple of months, both originating in Turkey (different teams and facilities however; here's the first). The rest of you need to get on this :)

The effect of continuous positive airway pressure treatmentfor obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on the ocular surface.

PURPOSE:
To evaluate the effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on the ocular surface.
METHODS:
This is a prospective, sectional cohort study of 80 eyes of 40 patients diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Routine ophthalmologic examination and ocular surface evaluation, including biomicroscopy, Schirmer 1 testing, tear break-up time measurement, ocular surface staining, and conjunctival impression cytology, were performed in both of each patient's eyes before and 4 months after starting CPAP therapy.
RESULTS:
After CPAP therapy, increases in squamous metaplasia (Nelson classification: t = 0.34, P = 0.014) and Schirmer 1 score (t = 3.20, P = 0.008), and decreases in tear break-up time (t = -1.38, P = 0.008) in the right eyes were statistically significant, as compared with the pretreatment values. Although these parameters changed in a similar fashion in the left eyes, differences between the pre-CPAP and post-CPAP values were not significant.
CONCLUSIONS:
The findings indicate that CPAP therapy increased ocular irritation, tear evaporation, and squamous metaplasia in the conjunctiva of the patients' right and left eyes. Although the parameters measured were similar in both eyes before CPAP therapy, these parameters changed significantly after CPAP therapy only in the right eyes. The observed differences between the right and left eyes require further investigation to determine the possible effects of sleeping position, CPAP mask displacement, and the other factors involved.

Cornea. 2012 Jun;31(6):604-8.

Hayirci E, Yagci A, Palamar M, Basoglu OK, Veral A.

Source

Departments of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey.