A Sleep apnoea study by the Singapore General Hospital and the Singapore National Eye Centre has found that people with moderate to severe Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) are more likely to have glaucoma. The study was conducted between 2013 and 2014 and showed that 8% of patients have moderate to severe OSA and they also had open angle glaucoma with normal pressure.

The reason for the study came from an increasing number of overseas studies linking OSA with glaucoma. Researchers wanted to determine if the prevalence of glaucoma found in OSA patients in Singapore was comparable to the rates that were quoted in the other publications and if necessary or not to put in screening recommendations for those considered high risk.

These findings are consistent with the studies published last year that suggested people with OSA were three times more likely to have glaucoma than those who didn’t. It was determined that half of the local patients diagnosed with glaucoma had structural and functional damage, while the other half had early glaucoma with structural damage but no functional damage. Structural damage refers to thinning nerve-fiber layers around the optic nerve head that can precede functional damage or loss of vision. The eyes with glaucoma also tended to be longer in length and more myopic.

Any associated link between sleep apnoea and glaucoma isn’t always well understood, but it’s been theorised that one possibility is that OSA increases the resistance to blood flow to the optic nerve, resulting in a transient drop in oxygen supply that damages the nerve. Detecting the glaucoma early on can slow the risk of the glaucoma progressing, but the vision loss cannot be reversed. This is why it’s so important to have regular eye screenings so it can be detected early and treated accordingly.

Natural Relief for Glaucoma

One of the best ways to find first line treatment for glaucoma is to use a herbal formula containing nutrients such as Bupleureum root, White Peony root, Dong Quai root, Ginger root, Licorice root, Coleus, Ginkgo, Milk Thistle, Dandelion root, Eyebright and Bilberry. The suggested formulation for this is ReVision™ from Good Health Naturally, as it can improve blood circulation flow around the eyes, eliminating stagnant energy and therefore improving conditions such as glaucoma. Serrapeptase is another highly recommended enzyme as it can help to ease inflammation within the body and to promote healthy blood flow around the cells and organs. Serranol™ contains a combination of Serrapeptase, Curcumin, Vitamin D3 and Ecklonia Cava Extract and this formulation is available from Good Health Naturally. For both sleep apnoea and glaucoma, stimulating the revelant acupressure points around the face can help. To do this, consider adding the electro-acupressure HealthPoint™ device from Good Health Naturally as an effective means of finding relief for these conditions.

For more help with improving your eye health, check out the ebook ‘Turning a Blind Eye‘ by Naturally Healthy Publications for healthy lifestyle and nutritional advice that can improve your glaucoma and transform your eye condition for the better, once and for all. Alternatively, check out ‘Improving Eye Disease in 30 Days’ by Robert Redfern of Naturally Healthy Publications for specific eye health care advice. The ebook can be bought from Amazon (US) or Amazon (UK).