Birmingham eye doctor Marc Michelson, M.D. commented on glaucoma and metabolic syndrome. “Reporting in the July 2011 publication Ophthalmology, the official journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, researchers suggested that the risk of developing Open Angle Glaucoma (OAG) may be increased if you suffer from Metabolic Syndrome,” noted Dr. Michelson, Medical Director of Alabama Eye & Cataract Center. “Patients with diabetes mellitus, systemic arterial hypertension or high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia or high cholesterol and triglycerides and obesity have elevated risks of developing Open Angle Glaucoma” he further emphasized. The researchers concluded that given that approximately one-fifth of the U.S. population has metabolic syndrome and that both metabolic syndrome and OAG increase in prevalence with age, the data suggest that as the U.S. population ages, the disease burden of OAG may increase in the coming years. The authors performed statistical analysis to determine patients' risk of developing OAG in conjunction with individual and combined types of metabolic syndrome. Data were adjusted for social and demographic factors, systemic medical conditions and other ocular diseases. The adjusted data showed that subjects with diabetes alone had a 35% increased risk of developing OAG, and those with hypertension alone had a 17% increased risk. Those with diabetes and hypertension combined had a 48% risk. Those with hyperlipidemia alone had a 5% decreased risk. Obese subjects had a 14% increased risk. Patients with diabetes, hyperlipidemia and hypertension combined had a 26% increased risk and the risk of developing OAG were higher in African Americans, Latinos and Asian Americans than in Caucasians, the authors reported.
If you have any questions or would like to learn more about glaucoma please schedule and eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center by calling 205-930-0939, visiting www.michelsonlaser.com or www.facebook.com/michelsonlaservision.
Michelson Laser Vision and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center are leading eye care centers in Birmingham staffed by a team of specialists including eye doctors who are fellowship trained cornea specialists and cataract and lens implant specialists-all board certified Ophthalmologists-as well as Optometrists, Opticians, technical and administrative staff who provide eye examinations for adults and children, cataract surgery and intraocular lens implants (IOL), laser eye surgery such as LASIK for laser vision correction, diagnosis and treatment of cornea disease including cornea transplants, care for diseases of the retina including diabetes and age related macular degeneration and diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.
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