{"id":749,"date":"2025-11-19T20:02:31","date_gmt":"2025-11-19T20:02:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.weatherfordsleep.com\/blog\/?p=749"},"modified":"2025-11-19T20:02:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-19T20:02:32","slug":"sleep-apnea-increase-risk-blindness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.weatherfordsleep.com\/blog\/2025\/11\/19\/sleep-apnea-increase-risk-blindness\/","title":{"rendered":"How Sleep Apnea Can Gradually Increase Your Risk of Blindness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Most people with sleep apnea would agree that the condition can be a nuisance. The frequent waking it causes can lead to a lifetime of daytime drowsiness and perpetual brain fog. As if those symptoms<\/a> weren\u2019t enough already, sleep apnea can actually also impair your body\u2019s ability to regulate important bio levels, which can gradually cause all kinds of problems. In fact, researchers have found that sleep apnea can increase your risk of blindness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fortunately, treating sleep apnea is fairly simple, and often results in significant health improvements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

The Link Between Sleep Apnea and Diabetic Retinopathy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDiabetic retinopathy\u201d is quite the mouthful, so let\u2019s break it down. \u201cRetinopathy\u201d is when blood vessels in the retina become damaged. Over time, this damage can result in fluid buildup capable of harming other important eye tissues, and can ultimately lead to vision impairment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDiabetic,\u201d naturally, refers to diabetes. While retinopathy can happen to anyone, it\u2019s much more likely to occur in patients with diabetes \u2013 hence the term \u201cdiabetic retinopathy.\u201d How this links to sleep apnea is that apnea episodes are more common amongst diabetics, and can also make it harder to manage blood sugar levels. Basically, sleep apnea and diabetes are a dangerous combination when it comes to your vision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Sleep Apnea Can Cause Glaucoma<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now, glaucoma is actually a group of eye diseases. The common thread between all of them, though, is that excess pressure in the eye causes damage to the optic nerve. Vision loss due to glaucoma is typically gradual, making it difficult to identify and prevent without regular checkups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the many unfortunate symptoms of sleep apnea is increased blood pressure. As it turns out, this can extend to the eye and result in a case of glaucoma.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minimizing Your Risk<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Vision problems can be scary, but you can effectively minimize the risk associated with sleep apnea. Here\u2019s how:<\/p>\n\n\n\n