Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy produces short-term increases in intraocular pressure (IOP) in adults with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), according to a Singaporean systematic review and meta-analysis of interventional studies.  

Writing in Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology, researchers said their analysis showed CPAP significantly increased IOP by more than four units on average overnight and by less than one unit within one month of therapy. IOP levels beyond one month did not differ from baseline, they said. 

The authors said short-term IOP elevation associated with CPAP may be clinically relevant for individuals with glaucoma or those at higher risk of disease progression. Although the long-term effects appear minimal from the available evidence, researchers said the findings highlight the need for caution when treating glaucomatous patients with CPAP.