What Researchers Did
Researchers investigated whether acute exposure to high-pressure oxygen affects vision or refractive power in patients who had previously undergone corneal refractive surgery like radial keratotomy (RK) or LASIK.
What They Found
In the RK group, best spectacle-corrected visual acuity (BSCVA) changed from 0.06 logMAR at baseline to 0.10 logMAR at 4 atmospheres absolute (ATA), and refractive error changed from 0.25 D to 0.50 D. For the LASIK group, BSCVA changed from 0.00 logMAR to -0.06 logMAR, and refractive error changed from -0.90 D to -1.02 D at 4 ATA. The control group showed minimal changes, leading researchers to conclude that acute hyperbaric stress did not appear to significantly alter refractive power after corneal surgery.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients who have had refractive eye surgery and require hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) or engage in activities involving hyperbaric stress, such as diving, may find reassurance from these findings. The study suggests that their vision and refractive correction are unlikely to be significantly altered by acute exposure to high-pressure environments. This could impact advice given to patients considering HBOT or recreational diving after refractive surgery.
Canadian Relevance
This study is not Canadian and does not feature Canadian authors. However, it covers the category of "decompression," which is relevant to decompression sickness, a Health Canada-recognized indication for hyperbaric oxygen therapy.
Study Limitations
The study was limited by its very small convenience sample size, with only 3 RK patients, 2 LASIK patients, and 4 control subjects.