People suffering from Type 2 diabetes as well as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can develop advanced retinopathy. A recent study conducted by the University of Birmingham has found that such patients can lose eyesight in a period lesser four years.
Diabetes patients have been always cautioned by doctors to remain on alert and now a recent study says that those suffering from Type 2 diabetes as well as obstructive sleep apnea aka OSA face a higher risk of developing advanced retinopathy. According to Science Daily, the study says that such patients can lose their eyesight in less than four years and it sheds light on a very important health aspect. Past studies have also demonstrated a connection between diabetic retinopathy and OSA but they never said anything about OSA impact on the advancement of diabetic retinopathy in Type 2 diabetes patients.
This study says that diabetic retinopathy is common among diabetics and OSA is also common in Type 2 diabetes patients. The latter is not a matter of surprise at all because weight is a big problem for diabetics and it is also a major cause of sleep apnea. For those who do not know, sleep apnea is a condition that causes breathing to stop during sleep.
In OSA, the throat walls shrink during sleeping, leading to interruption in breathing. A common symptom of this condition is loud snoring and it is considered to be a serious health issue by doctors. So, this study comes forward as quite an eye opener for diabetes patients as well as doctors. The latter should be more careful about Type 2 diabetes patients who also have OSA as they are at a greater risk of diabetic retinopathy.
It is worth mentioning here that diabetic retinopathy is the most common type of eye disease found in diabetes patients as it affects 40-50 percent of diabetes patients across the globe and has caused blindness in a significant population in the West.
