What Researchers Did
Researchers examined 12 workers who spent up to 11 weeks working in pressurized caissons to see if their vision changed, and re-examined most of them six months later.
What They Found
At the initial check-up, nine out of 12 workers had myopia (nearsightedness), with seven likely developing it after starting caisson work. Six months after stopping the work, the workers' vision significantly shifted back towards hyperopia (farsightedness), indicating the changes were temporary.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
This study suggests that working in pressurized environments, similar to those experienced during hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT), can temporarily cause nearsightedness. For Canadian patients undergoing HBOT, this means they might experience temporary blurred vision or a shift towards nearsightedness during or shortly after treatment, which is expected to resolve.
Canadian Relevance
No direct Canadian connection identified.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its small sample size of only 12 workers, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.