What Researchers Did
Researchers presented a case study of a 52-year-old woman who developed cataracts while undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for a non-healing leg wound caused by radiation.
What They Found
The woman developed large, bilateral cataracts that impaired her vision after receiving 46 of a planned 60 hyperbaric oxygen treatments. This case is considered one of the earliest reported instances of cataract formation linked to hyperbaric oxygen therapy in the available medical literature.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients receiving hyperbaric oxygen therapy, especially for conditions like radiation injuries, should be informed about potential side effects, including the rare possibility of cataract development. Regular eye examinations could be a useful consideration for individuals undergoing extended courses of HBOT.
Canadian Relevance
The study is not Canadian and does not have Canadian authors. However, it covers delayed radiation injury, which is a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
As a single case report, this study's findings describe one individual's experience and may not be representative of all patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy.