People with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of paused and shallow breathing during sleep, are approximately ten times more likely to develop glaucoma. This is a well-known and well-documented relationship, but the underlying cause of this correlation has remained a mystery.

Is there an increase in intraocular pressure (IOP) during these episodes of paused breathing, or is it something else altogether? Because increased IOP is most often associated with glaucoma, it is the first thing that researchers investigate when they see correlations with other disorders, such as OSAS.

Researchers recently developed an innovative contact lens to track intraocular pressure. The contact lens sensor (CLS) allows for round-the-clock monitoring of IOP without needing to wake you up or interrupt your daily/nightly routine.

By using this new contact lens technology, researchers are hoping to gain new insight into obstructive sleep apnea by continuously monitoring the eye pressure even during sleep cycles.

Researchers hope to demonstrate that during apnea events there is spike in IOP, as pressure in the chest rises when people stop exhaling. The results, however, are quite the opposite of what they anticipated: apnea episodes are associated with a drop in IOP.

OSAS is still associated with glaucoma, but researchers have now realized that it isn’t due to an IOP increase or changes in chest pressure. Instead, it might be due to a drop in oxygen levels in the blood, which happens when you stop breathing.

With novel discoveries and new technology to implement in studies of this disease, researchers may be able to uncover the underlying triggers of all varieties of glaucoma.

View the complete News Release from the Glaucoma Research Foundation