Evaluation of Intraocular pressure, Corneal thickness, and Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

Objective: To evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

Methods: In this prospective study, 103 patients with OSAS (study group) and 37 healthy subjects were enrolled. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examinations. Mean outcome measures were intraocular pressure by Goldmann applanation tonometry, CCT measurement using ultrasound pachymeter and peripapillary RNFL thickness measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography.

Results: The differences between the mean values of RNFL thickness in all quadrants were similar in both groups and were not statistically significant (p=0.274). The IOP and CCT measurement averages of all patients with OSAS were lower than the control group. However, this difference was not statistically significant. There was no correlation between the apnea-hypopnea index, lowest oxygen saturation (LAST) or Body Mass Index (BMI) and the peripapillary RNFL thickness, IOP or CCT when OSAS group was divided by severity.

Conclusions: The study results suggest that peripapillary RNFL thickness, IOP or CCT did not differ significantly between OSAS and control groups. We also found no correlation between apnea severity (AHI), lowest oxygen saturation (LAST) and BMI and RNFL, CCT and IOP.