EFFECT OF SHORT-TERM AND LONG TERM SLEEP DEPRIVATION ON OCULAR HEALTH

Abstract

Background: Sleep is an active physiological activity that is essential to life and often takes up one-third of it. It is crucial for maintaining good physical and mental health. sleep deprivation is becoming more widespread in today's lifestyles. Both short-term and long-term sleep loss have been associated to ocular surface abnormalities. Objective: To compare the effects of short-term and long-term sleep deprivation on ocular health by assessing key parameters, including dry eye, intraocular pressure, corneal curvature, visual performance, eyelid conditions, conjunctival status, corneal sensitivity, and tear film stability. Methodology: A 3-month comparative cross-sectional study was carried out at Rehmat-Ul-Lilalameen Welfare Hospital in Sargodha, with 72 participants chosen through convenience sampling. Participants aged 18-35 years were divided into short- and long-term sleep deprivation groups, and data were collected via questionnaire and proforma. Ocular assessments included visual acuity, slit lamp examination, TBUT, keratometry, corneal sensitivity, and intraocular pressure. Results: The study featured 72 participants (36 per group), with males accounting for 61.1% of the sample. The short-term group had improved sleep quality, with 55.6% reporting good sleep, compared to the long-term group, which had none and 41.7% reporting poor sleep. Prolonged deprivation resulted in more severe ocular symptoms, such as daily impaired vision (61.1%) and headaches (58.3%), as well as greater rates of eye strain (52.8%), severe dry eye (41.7%), and severe conjunctival congestion. Myokymia was found in all long-term instances, compared to 41.7% in short-term cases, and ptosis was exclusively seen in the long-term group (50%). The long-term group experienced significantly greater intraocular pressure (≈15.84-16.17 mmHg) compared to the short-term group (≈14.12-14.24 mmHg, p < 0.01). Furthermore, lower sleep duration was strongly correlated with increased corneal staining (r = 0.555), conjunctival congestion (r = 0.539), and decreased TBUT (r = -0.393), demonstrating that sleep deprivation deteriorates ocular surface health. Conclusion: Long-term sleep deprivation was linked to higher intraocular pressure, decreased tear film stability, higher corneal staining, and lower visual acuity than short-term deprivation.