Sometimes patients who spend a
great deal of time in high altitudes-skiing, mountain climbing or even just
touring and hiking-are concerned about the effects of high altitude low oxygen
conditions on their eyes, especially if they have some other eye problems or
diseases related to hypoxia or not enough oxygen. Have you ever been concerned
about your eye health at high altitude?
Researchers from the Tübingen
High Altitude Ophthalmology (THAO) published a report in the journal Investigative
Ophthalmology & Visual Science. The group examined the effect
of high altitude on the cornea and on the drainage angle of the eye-a key
anatomical landmark for predicting narrow angle glaucoma risk. Using the
advanced imaging technique of Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) they studied
corneal thickness changes and the depth and shape of the “anterior chamber
angle” to determine the effects of high altitude. In normal healthy eyes, they
found that a significant degree of reversible corneal swelling occurred with
increasing altitude but no effect was noted on the size or shape of the eye
fluid drainage angle. Since the corneal swelling was reversible it was
not damaging. However, for patients with corneal dystrophy problems such as
Fuchs Dystrophy, any endothelial dystrophy or compromise there may be some
delay in the deswelling of the cornea. For patients who might be at risk for narrow
angle glaucoma, the researchers reported that no change in angle depth or shape
occurred at the higher altitudes-and thus there was no increase in angle
closure glaucoma risk.
If you or someone you know has questions about the effect of
high altitude low oxygen conditions of angle closure glaucoma and corneal
swelling risk, please feel free to call Center
for Sight at 508-730-2020, visit www.center-for-sight.com
or www.facebook.com/centerforsightfallriver to schedule an appointment.
Center for Sight is conveniently located at 1565 North
Main Street, Suite 406, Fall River, Massachusetts 02720 for patients from Massachusetts or Rhode Island.
