Research carried out in University of Birmingham, and published in American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, has discovered that patients who suffer from both Type 2 diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea are at greater risk of developing a condition that leads to blindness within an average period of less than four years.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition where the walls of the throat relax and narrow during sleep, resulting in snoring and interrupting breathing, and it is common in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

Corresponding Author Doctor Abd Tahrani, of the University of Birmingham's Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, said: "Despite improvements in glucose, blood pressure and lipid levels, diabetic retinopathy remains very common.

"Our study is the first to prospectively examine the impact of OSA on diabetic retinopathy.

"Firstly, we showed that sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy was more common in patients with both Type 2 diabetes and OSA compared to those with Type 2 diabetes but without OSA.

"However, more importantly, we have shown that patients with OSA and Type 2 diabetes, compared to those with diabetes only, are at increased risk of developing advanced diabetic retinopathy over a period of three years and seven months."

The study was carried out at two diabetes clinics at hospitals in the Midlands and involved 230 patients with Type 2 diabetes.

The results showed that diabetic retinopathy prevalence was higher in patients with OSA (42.9%) compared to those without OSA (24.1%).

The longitudinal study found that at a follow-up appointment, on average 43 months later, the patients with OSA (18.4%) were more likely to develop moderate to severe diabetic retinopathy compared to those without OSA (6.1%).

Meanwhile, the study also showed that patients who received treatment for OSA using a machine connected to a face mask that delivers pressure to prevent the blockage of the airways during sleep had a lower risk of developing advanced diabetic retinopathy compared to patients who did not receive the treatment.

Dr.Tahrani added: "We can conclude from this study that OSA is an independent predictor for the progression to moderate or severe diabetic retinopathy in patients with Type 2 diabetes.

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