Obstructive sleep apnoea linked to floppy eyelid syndrome
16 April 2010
More evidence has emerged backing the association between the often under-recognised floppy eyelid syndrome (FES) and obstructive sleep apnoea-hypopnoea syndrome (OSAHS). (OSAHS is a condition in which the muscles of the back of your throat and your tongue relax during sleep, to the point where they collapse and block your airway.)
A US study of 102 people with FES found significant associations with OSAHS (Ophthalmology 2010; 117: 831-38). The researchers warn that FES is on the rise, with increasing numbers of case reports linked to eye problems. The condition is characterised ‘by very elastic upper lids’ that are easily distorted with minimal pressure.
The researchers suggest that eye rubbing could be a common causative factor in FES and other eye problems, and that this could occur more frequently in people with OSAHS.
Last Reviewed: 16 April 2010
- 1. Ezra DG, Beaconsfield M, Sira M, Bunce C, Wormald R, Collin R. The associations of floppy eyelid syndrome: a case control study. Ophthalmology 2010; 117: 831-38. Abstract available at: http://www.ophsource.org/periodicals/ophtha/article/S0161-6420(09)01094-X/abstract
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