What Researchers Did
Researchers conducted eye examinations on 25 patients before, during, and after prolonged hyperbaric oxygen therapy to assess its effect on the human lens.
What They Found
All 25 patients experienced a change in refraction towards myopia during hyperbaric oxygen therapy. Additionally, 7 of 15 patients who initially had clear lens nuclei developed nuclear cataracts with reduced visual acuity during treatment.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing prolonged hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be aware of the potential for developing myopia and nuclear cataracts. Regular eye examinations are important to monitor for these vision changes, allowing for timely detection and management.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its relatively small sample size and the fact that the cataractogenic effect had not been previously reported by other researchers at the time.