Between 2005 and 2008, more than 6,500 patients in the U.S. over the age of 40 participated in a nationwide survey to help determine the connection, if any, between poor sleep and glaucoma. The patients were of course thoroughly examined first, using fundus photography to confirm damage to the optic nerve, as well as automated visual field testing to determine extent of vision loss. Afterwards, patients were asked a series of important questions related to how much sleep they usually get, how difficult it is for them to fall asleep, how many times they’re typically disturbed during sleep, whether or not they have any diagnosed sleeping disorders or use sleep medication, and how many times they feel tired or overly sleepy during the day – these are the comprehensive findings.
Amount of Sleep
The study was able to confirm that those who sleep for more than 10 hours per night are “three times more likely to have glaucoma-related optic nerve damage” compared to those who only sleep 7 hours per night or less.
Ease of Falling Asleep
The average time it takes to fall asleep should fall between 10 and 29 minutes. However, during the study, researchers noticed that those who fell asleep in less than 10 minutes, as well as those who needed more than a half hour to fall asleep, “were twice as likely to have glaucoma.”
Daytime Sleepiness
The study was also able to document the relationship between sleep, vision loss, and quality of life as well. For instance, those who participated in the study and said they experienced daytime sleepiness were found to be “twice as likely to have visual field loss” as well as difficulty remembering things. Meanwhile, those who reported having trouble focusing on certain projects or hobbies during the day due to daytime sleepiness were found to be “three times more likely to have vision loss.”
Think Poor Sleep Could Be Affecting Your Health & Vision?
If you’re feeling more and more tired during the day, if you have a hard time falling asleep at night, or if you tend to sleep way too long and you simply cannot figure out what is wrong with you, we encourage you to come visit our trained optical professionals at Alpine Eye Care today. With help from a thorough eye examination, and our vast experience, we’re confident we can help you not only figure out what is physically affecting you, we can also help come up with a viable, pain-free solution! To be sure your eyes are in optimal shape, schedule your next eye exam with one of our remarkable eye doctors at Alpine Eye Care as soon as possible by calling us directly at 1.877.733.2020 today.