Sleep apnea is a serious condition but most patients in Beverly Hills have not been diagnosed or are not treating their disease. Eye health, specifically treatment for age-related macular degeneration has now been linked to obstructive sleep apnea.
Research presented at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology showed that patients with age-related macular degeneration who did not respond to treatment may have untreated obstructive sleep apnea.
“Obstructive sleep apnea is a systemic disease that affects many organs” said lead authori Dr. Yoreh Barak. “Patients can have conditions such as high blood pressure and this can adversely affect the blood vessels in the eye.” Dr. Barak and his group suspected that 12 of their patients with AMD who failed to respond to treatment might have obstructive sleep apnea. Following testing and treatment of their sleep apnea the patients response to the treatment for their macular degeneration improved.
Like Dr. Barak said, sleep apnea is more than loud snoring. The lapses in breathing during sleep cause oxygen levels in the body to drop causing damage to the cardiovascular system and other parts of the body. It seems that every week we are learning more about the dangers of sleep apnea and the importance of a good night’s sleep for overall health.
If you snore loudly and experience daytime sleepiness you may suffer from undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea. Please contact Beverly Hills sleep apnea dentist Dr. David Frey at 310-276-4537 today to learn more about diagnosing your condition and to discover whether you are a candidate for treatment using an oral appliance.
