What Researchers Did
Researchers prospectively investigated the effect of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) on corneal endothelial structure and anterior segment parameters in 17 healthy eyes before, after the 1st, and after the 20th HBOT session.
What They Found
The study found no significant changes in central corneal thickness, corneal endothelial layer properties, or anterior segment morphology after 1 or 20 sessions of HBOT. While intraocular pressure and anterior chamber depth showed non-significant reductions, spherical equivalent values significantly decreased after 20 sessions of HBOT.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy for non-ophthalmologic conditions may not experience significant changes in their corneal endothelial structure or most anterior segment parameters. However, prolonged HBOT could potentially lead to changes in refractive error, which might warrant ophthalmologic monitoring.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its small sample size of 17 patients, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.