What Researchers Did
Researchers measured ocular refraction, corneal thickness, corneal radius, corneal power, corneal astigmatism, and intraocular pressure in 23 patients before and immediately after repeated hyperbaric oxygen exposures over six weeks.
What They Found
Patients developed a gross myopic shift of -0.95 ± 0.54 D in the right eye and -0.95 ± 0.53 D in the left eye during the six weeks of treatment (P < 0.001 for both). Immediately after a single hyperbaric oxygen exposure, myopic shift reversion, corneal thinning, and reduced intraocular pressure were observed, but these effects resolved before the next measurement visit.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy may experience temporary changes in their vision, including a short-term myopic shift. These visual changes appear to be transient, resolving between treatment sessions.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no stated Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation is that the timing of ocular measurements after hyperbaric oxygen exposure can influence results and comparability across studies.