Association Between Eye Diseases and Sleep Duration: A Nationwide Cross-Sectional Study.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Sleep Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• The visual system synchronizes circadian rhythms, influencing sleep.
• Ophthalmic diseases like diabetic retinopathy (DMR), age-related macular degeneration (AMD), epiretinal membrane (EM), and glaucoma may disrupt sleep.
• Large-scale data on ophthalmic conditions and sleep duration are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between specific ophthalmic diseases and sleep duration.
• To analyze these relationships in a nationwide, population-based sample.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional analysis of the 2019-2020 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
• Inclusion of 8,395 participants aged 40+ who underwent fundoscopy for ophthalmic disease diagnosis.
• Self-reported sleep duration and statistical models adjusted for covariates.

Main Results:

• Diabetic retinopathy (DMR) and epiretinal membrane (EM) were significantly associated with reduced sleep duration (0.3-0.5 hours less).
• No significant association was found between age-related macular degeneration (AMD) or glaucoma and sleep duration.
• Adjusted analyses confirmed the significant link between DMR/EM and shorter sleep.

Conclusions:

• Diabetic retinopathy (DMR) and epiretinal membrane (EM) are independently associated with reduced sleep duration.
• Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and glaucoma do not appear to significantly affect sleep duration.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted sleep management in patients with specific ophthalmic conditions.