The Effects of Surgical Treatment on Retina-Choroidal Findings in Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of surgical treatment on ocular findings in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS).

PATIENTS AND

METHODS

The authors studied 34 eyes of 34 newly diagnosed OSAS patients. The sleep study was performed before and 6 months after expansion sphincter pharyngoplasty (ESP). Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), choroidal thickness (CT), and retinal arteriolar caliber (RAC) analyses were performed using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Intraocular pressure (IOP) and ocular pulse amplitude were performed using the Pascal dynamic contour tonometer.

RESULTS

The preoperative and postoperative Apnea Hypopnea Index scores and average oxygen saturation values were significantly different (P = .0001 and P = .001, respectively). There was no significant difference between the preoperative and postoperative RNFL thicknesses (P > .05). The preoperative subfoveal, nasal, temporal CT, and IOP were significantly different from the postoperative measurements (P = .006, P = .05, P = .036, and P = .0001, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

ESP had a significant influence on CT and IOP in patients with OSAS, maintaining a decrease in CT and IOP 6 months after surgery. The determination of these ocular findings may be useful to show the positive effects of ESP. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2020;51:35-42.].