What Researchers Did
Researchers examined central retinal thickness, retinal and vitreo-retinal structures, and ocular blood flow in 15 patients undergoing 19 days of hyperbaric oxygen therapy using optical coherence tomography and ocular blood flow tonometry.
What They Found
They found a significant mean reduction in retinal thickness of -1.7 ± 1.6 μm (p < 0.001) and a mean myopic shift of -0.62 ± 0.39 D (p < 0.001) in patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy. No significant changes were observed in vitreo-retinal structures or pulsatile ocular blood flow.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be aware of potential temporary changes in their vision, such as a myopic shift, and slight reductions in retinal thickness. These ocular changes may warrant monitoring by an ophthalmologist during and after treatment.
Canadian Relevance
This study was not conducted in Canada and therefore has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its small sample size of 15 patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.