What Researchers Did
Researchers documented a case of de novo cataract development in a 49-year-old female following a standard course of hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
What They Found
A 49-year-old female patient received 48 hyperbaric oxygen treatments at 2.5 ATA for 90 minutes for chronic osteomyelitis. Eight weeks post-treatment, she developed worsening myopia and nuclear cataracts in both eyes, despite having no prior cataract formation and excluding other common causes.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be aware of the potential for ocular side effects, including cataract development. Regular ophthalmic monitoring before and after treatment may be beneficial to detect such changes early.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
The primary limitation of this study is that it reports on a single case, limiting the generalizability of its findings.