An eye disorder called floppy eyelid syndrome is strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
An eye disorder called floppy eyelid syndrome is strongly associated with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
To explore the association between floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) and obstructive sleep apnoea, researchers compared 102 patients with floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) and 102 matched controls from America, who were followed between 1995 and 2008. People with FES have rubbery-textured upper eyelids that may easily flip up during sleep, which can lead to dry, irritated eyes and/or discharge.
It was found that about one-third (32 of 102) FES patients in the study also had OSA. The association of the two disorders was evident even when the researchers considered and controlled for patients' body-mass index (BMI). FES is often considered a disease of overweight, middle-aged men, but this study did not find a patient cluster based on age, gender or BMI.
The researchers attributed the above findings to a number of reasons. The central nervous system arousal may be impaired in people with OSA, so they don't wake up as people normally do when breathing slows or stops, or when the eyelid undergoes major stress. Many people with OSA often sleep on one side, which could result in repeated pressure on the eyelid on that side of the face.
The study confirms previous findings that FES is associated with keratoconus, in which the cornea of the eye thins out and becomes cone-shaped. People with FES often rub their eyes too much, which may contribute to keratoconus.
To explore the association between floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) and obstructive sleep apnoea, researchers compared 102 patients with floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) and 102 matched controls from America, who were followed between 1995 and 2008. People with FES have rubbery-textured upper eyelids that may easily flip up during sleep, which can lead to dry, irritated eyes and/or discharge.
It was found that about one-third (32 of 102) FES patients in the study also had OSA. The association of the two disorders was evident even when the researchers considered and controlled for patients' body-mass index (BMI). FES is often considered a disease of overweight, middle-aged men, but this study did not find a patient cluster based on age, gender or BMI.
The researchers attributed the above findings to a number of reasons. The central nervous system arousal may be impaired in people with OSA, so they don't wake up as people normally do when breathing slows or stops, or when the eyelid undergoes major stress. Many people with OSA often sleep on one side, which could result in repeated pressure on the eyelid on that side of the face.
The study confirms previous findings that FES is associated with keratoconus, in which the cornea of the eye thins out and becomes cone-shaped. People with FES often rub their eyes too much, which may contribute to keratoconus.
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