Abstract:Glaucoma is a progressive optic neurodegenerative disease with specific characteristics of structural optic nerve head(ONH)and with changes in the inner retinal layer(ganglion cell complex)along with the presence of corresponding functional visual field(VF)changes that are irreversible. Obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome(OSAHS)is characterized by recurrent complete or partial interruption of normal breathing due to functional occlusion or collapse of upper airway during sleep that leads to apnea or hypopnea and hypoxia. This causes decrease in the arterial oxygen(O2)saturation and a rise in the carbon dioxide saturation during sleep and results in transient hypoxia and increased vascular resistance in body tissues. OSAHS is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular, and many reports showed that OSAHS is one of the systemic risk factors for glaucoma which causes irreversible visual field damage, but lacks a systematic analysis of the relationship between the two. Comprehensive glaucoma evaluation should be recommended in patients with OSAHS.
