Study has shown that diabetes and sleep apnea are a dangerous combination

Scientists from Birmingham University have found that people suffering from type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea are more prone to diabetic retinopathy. This diabetes complication is the leading cause of vision loss worldwide. 40-50% of patients with diabetes face with diabetic retinopathy, Medical Xpress reports.

The new study involved 230 people with type 2 diabetes. The scientists excluded those people who had any respiratory illness or obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in the beginning of the study. The volunteers were tested for OSA and diabetic retinopathy.

The scientists have found that diabetic retinopathy was more common among participants who suffered from OSAS, compared to volunteers who had no OSAS (42.9% versus 24.1%). In addition, 43 months later, moderate and severe diabetic retinopathy were more often developed in people with OSAS than in those who did not suffer from OSAS (18.4% versus 6.1%). The risk of diabetic retinopathy was lower in the volunteers treated for sleep apnea with special devices compared to the participants who were not treated with OSAS.

Source: Medical Xpress.