swimming https://www.fiteyes.com/taxonomy/term/361/all en Wearing swimming goggles can elevate intraocular pressure https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/wearing-swimming-goggles-can-elevate-intraocular-pressure <div class="sharethis-buttons"><div class="sharethis-wrapper"><span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/wearing-swimming-goggles-can-elevate-intraocular-pressure" st_title="Wearing%20swimming%20goggles%20can%20elevate%20intraocular%20pressure" class="st_facebook_large" displayText="facebook"></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/wearing-swimming-goggles-can-elevate-intraocular-pressure" st_title="Wearing%20swimming%20goggles%20can%20elevate%20intraocular%20pressure" class="st_twitter_large" displayText="twitter" st_via="" st_username=""></span> <span st_url="https://www.fiteyes.com/blog/dave/wearing-swimming-goggles-can-elevate-intraocular-pressure" st_title="Wearing%20swimming%20goggles%20can%20elevate%20intraocular%20pressure" class="st_sharethis_large" displayText="sharethis" st_via="" st_username=""></span> </div></div> <div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><p>We list three studies below that show swim googles can elevate eye pressure. Thanks to FitEyes member "togburn" we have a product recommendation for swimmers. The recommendation comes by way of optometrist <span class="text-class-41">Michelle Solomon</span> in Richmond, VA, USA. Dr. Solomon is recommending swim goggles like the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Sphere-Seal-Swim-Mask/dp/B000EORGXQ/?tag=jaxfl-32225-20" target="_blank">Aqua Sphere Seal Swim Mask by Aqua Sphere</a>. Read the three studies below for more information about how swimming goggles can affect intraocular pressure.</p> <p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Aqua-Sphere-Seal-Swim-Mask/dp/B000EORGXQ/?tag=jaxfl-32225-20" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41v8ZwRItxL.jpg" style="width: 500px; height: 402px;" /></a></p> <p><strong>1. Wearing swimming goggles can elevate intraocular pressure.</strong></p> <p>AIM: To examine the acute effects of wearing swimming goggles upon intraocular pressure (IOP).</p> <p>METHODS: This research consisted of a Pilot study and a Validation study. Holes were drilled into the faces of 13 different goggles to allow IOP measurement by applanation tonometry. IOP was measured before goggles wear, 2 min after goggles application, 20 min after goggles application and after goggles removal. The Pilot study (n = 15) was initially performed to investigate changes in IOP while wearing five different types of swimming goggles. Anatomical and goggles design parameters from the Pilot study were then used to generate a predictive model and design a Validation study (n = 20). The Validation study tested the predictive model, examined IOP changes using another eight goggles and clarified whether IOP changes were sustained for the duration of goggles wear.</p> <p>RESULTS: IOP increased while wearing goggles by a mean pressure of 4.5 mm Hg (SD 3.7, p&lt;0.001) with this pressure rise being sustained for the duration of goggles wear. A smaller goggles face area (p = 0.013), was consistently associated with greater IOP elevation.</p> <p>CONCLUSION: These measurements were not taken while swimming, but they suggest that some swimming goggles can elevate IOP.</p> <p>Br J Ophthalmol. 2008 Sep;92(9):1218-21<br /> Morgan WH, Cunneen TS, Balaratnasingam C, Yu DY.<br /> Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Centre for Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Lions Eye Institute, University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia.</p> <p><strong>2. Swimming goggles and elevated intraocular pressure.</strong></p> <p>We would like to congratulate Dr Morgan and colleagues on their recent paper "Wearing swimming goggles can elevate intraocular pressure." We performed a similar study and presented our data at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology in 2007. Our findings demonstrated that in healthy participants, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements taken during goggle wear were significantly higher at both 1 and 3 min, with an average increase of 12.5% or +1.5 mm Hg. A small subset of eyes (10%) in our study had an increase in IOP greater than 5 mm Hg at both 1 and 5 min of goggle wear. We applaud the use of a predictive model in evaluating which goggles may be associated with IOP elevation. In our study, utilising a single goggle design (Speedo), the IOP did not increase significantly in 40% of subjects but increased over 5 mm Hg in others.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;">C E Starr and N M Radcliffe<br /> Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, USA<br /> British Journal of Ophthalmology 2009;93:700; doi:10.1136/bjo.2008.152686</p> <p>Here is another study with the full text:</p> <div class="jig-ncbiinpagenav" data-jigconfig="smoothScroll: false, allHeadingLevels: ['h2'], headingExclude: ':hidden'"> <div class="tsec sec" id="__abstractid538639" lang="en" xml:lang="en"> <h3 class="content-title">3. The Effect of Swimming Goggles on Intraocular Pressure and Blood Flow within the Optic Nerve Head</h3> <div class="fm-citation half_rhythm no_top_margin clearfix"> <div class="small"> <div class="inline_block eight_col va_top"> <div> <div><span class="cit">Yonsei Med J. Oct 31, 2007; 48(5): 807–809. </span></div> <div><span class="fm-vol-iss-date">Published online Oct 31, 2007. </span> <span class="doi">doi:  <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3349%2Fymj.2007.48.5.807" target="pmc_ext">10.3349/ymj.2007.48.5.807</a></span></div> </div> </div> <div class="inline_block four_col va_top show-overflow align_right"> <div class="fm-citation-ids"> <div class="fm-citation-pmcid"><span class="fm-citation-ids-label">PMCID: </span><span>PMC2628147</span></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <h2 class="head no_bottom_margin ui-helper-clearfix" id="__abstractid538639title">Abstract</h2> <div> <div class="sec sec-first" id="__sec1"> <h3>Purpose</h3> <p class="p p-first-last" id="__p2">Goggles are frequently worn in the sport of swimming and are designed to form a<br /> seal around the periorbital tissue orbit. The resultant pressure on the<br /> eye may have the potential to affect intraocular pressure and blood<br /> flow of the optic nerve head. This study evaluates the influence of<br /> wearing swimming goggles on intraocular pressure (IOP) and blood flow<br /> of the ocular nerve head (ONH) in normal subjects.</p> </div> <div class="sec" id="__sec2"> <h3>Materials and Methods</h3> <p class="p p-first-last" id="__p3">Thirty healthy participants took part in this study. The IOP of each<br /> participant was measured using a Goldmann tonometer. Measurements were<br /> taken immediately before putting on swimming goggles, at 5, 10, 30, and<br /> 60 minutes after putting on swimming goggles, and then immediately after<br /> taking off the goggles. Blood flow of the ONH was measured using the<br /> Heidelberg retinal flowmeter.</p> </div> <div class="sec" id="__sec3"> <h3>Results</h3> <p class="p p-first-last" id="__p4">The average IOP before, during and after wearing the swimming goggles were<br /> 11.88 ± 2.82 mmHg, 14.20 ± 2.81mmHg and 11.78 ± 2.89 mmHg, respectively.<br /> The IOP increased immediately after putting on the goggles (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) and then returned to normal values immediately after removal (<em>p</em> &gt; 0.05). Blood flow of the ONH was 336.60 ± 89.07 Arbitrary Units<br /> (AU) before and 319.18 ± 96.02 AU after the goggles were worn (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05).</p> </div> <div class="sec sec-last" id="__sec4"> <h3>Conclusion</h3> <p class="p p-first-last" id="__p5">A small but significant IOP elevation was observed immediately after the<br /> swimming goggles were put on. This elevated IOP was maintained while the<br /> goggles were kept on, and then returned to normal levels as soon as<br /> they were taken off. Blood flow of the ONH did not change significantly<br /> throughout the experiment. These facts should be considered for safety<br /> concerns, especially in advanced glaucoma patients.</p> </div> </div> <div class="sec"><strong class="kwd-title">Keywords: </strong><span class="kwd-text">Swimming goggles, intraocular pressure, blood flow of optic nerve head</span></div> </div> <div class="tsec sec headless whole_rhythm" id="__bodyid824477"> <p class="p p-first" id="__p6">Elevation of intraocular pressure is an important risk factor in the progression<br /> of glaucoma. Swimming goggles induce pressure around the periocular area<br /> and might have an influence on the intraocular pressure (IOP). Swimmers<br /> who wear goggles are exposed to this pressure, and several patients in<br /> our clinic have asked whether this could have an influence on the<br /> progression of glaucoma. We are unaware of any previous reports<br /> discussing the relationship between goggles and an IOP elevation. In<br /> this study, we evaluated whether swimming goggles have an influence on<br /> the IOP as well as on the blood flow of the optic nerve head (ONH).<sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B1" id="__tag_127817482" role="button">1</a></sup></p> </div> <div class="tsec sec" id="__sec5"> <h2 class="head no_bottom_margin ui-helper-clearfix" id="__sec5title">MATERIALS AND METHODS</h2> <p class="p p-first" id="__p7">We obtained informed consent from each participant, and our study was<br /> approved by the Institutional Review Board. The study was comprised of<br /> 30 eyes from 30 healthy volunteers (18 male, 12 female). One eye of each<br /> patient was selected randomly for the analysis. The average age of the<br /> subjects was 27.4 years (26 - 32). The criteria for this study required a<br /> completely normal ophthalmic examination after pupil dilation with a<br /> best-corrected vision ≥ 20/25, IOP &lt; 20 mmHg and no family history of<br /> glaucoma. IOP was measured in all patients before the goggles were<br /> applied, at 5, 10, 30 and 60 minutes after the goggles were put on, and<br /> then immediately after the goggles were removed. Blood flow of the ONH<br /> was measured immediately before and after the goggles were worn. As<br /> shown in <a class="fig-table-link fig figpopup" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/figure/F1/" target="figure"><span>Fig. 1</span></a>,<br /> the lenses of the goggles were removed to allow the measurement of the<br /> IOP. The IOP was measured at each time-point by one examiner (CWS) three<br /> times, and the readings were averaged. A Heidelberg retinal flowmeter<br /> (HRF) (Heidelberg Engineering GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany) was used to<br /> measure the blood flow of the ONH. One examiner measured all the<br /> patients, and then the data was analyzed using an Automatic Full-Field<br /> Perfusion Image Analyzer (AFFPIA) program, which calculated the 'average<br /> flow'.<sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B2" id="__tag_127817475" role="button">2</a></sup><sup>,</sup><sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B3" id="__tag_127817479" role="button">3</a></sup> Arbitrary units (AU) were used in the HRF software to measure blood<br /> flow, volume and velocity measurements. The conventional method to<br /> measure blood flow in the ONH, which uses a sampling technique in a 10 ×<br /> 10 pixel frame, can show a fluctuation according to the selection of<br /> the pixels. In this case to analyze the blood flow, the AFFPIA uses two<br /> circles with one just inside the margin of the optic disc and the other<br /> just outside the optic pit, ensuring precision in the measurements.</p> <div class="fig iconblock ten_col whole_rhythm clearfix" id="F1"><a class="icnblk_img figpopup" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/figure/F1/" target="figure"><img alt="Fig. 1" class="small-thumb" src="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/bin/ymj-48-807-g001.gif" title="Fig. 1" /></a>   <div class="icnblk_cntnt" id="lgnd_F1"> <div><a class="figpopup" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/figure/F1/" target="figure">Fig. 1</a></div> <div><span>Swimming goggles with anterior part of lens removed to measure IOP while wearing them.</span></div> </div> </div> <p class="p p-last" id="__p8">The difference between IOP before and after wearing swimming goggles was<br /> analyzed using repeated measurements and Analysis of Variance(ANOVA)<br /> with Bonferroni correction. The statistical significance was set at <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05.</p> </div> <div class="tsec sec" id="__sec6"> <h2 class="head no_bottom_margin ui-helper-clearfix" id="__sec6title">RESULTS</h2> <p class="p p-first-last" id="__p9">The IOP before the swimming goggles were worn was 11.88 ± 2.82 mmHg (mean ± SD; n=30). The IOP increased by 2.32 mmHg (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) to 14.20 ± 2.82 mmHg (mean ± SD; n=30) immediately after the<br /> goggles were put on. Over the 60 minutes while the goggles were worn,<br /> the average IOP was 14.63 ± 2.92 mmHg (mean ± SD; n=30) at five minutes,<br /> 14.72 ± 2.94 mmHg (mean ± SD; n=30) at 10 minutes, 14.60 ± 2.78 mmHg<br /> (mean ± SD; n=30) at 30 minutes and 14.51 ± 2.82 mmHg (mean ± SD; n=30)<br /> at 60 minutes (<em>p</em> &lt; 0.05). The IOP decreased to 11.78 ± 2.89 mmHg (mean ± SD; n=30) immediately after the goggles were taken off(<a class="fig-table-link fig figpopup" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/figure/F2/" target="figure"><span>Fig. 2</span></a>).<br /> The HRF showed an average flow of 336.60 ± 89.07 AU (mean ± SD; n=30)<br /> before the goggles were put on, and decreased to 319.18 ± 96.02 AU (mean<br /> ± SD; n=30) immediately after they were taken off. However, the<br /> difference between these two values did not show statistical<br /> significance (<em>p</em> =0.58).</p> <div class="fig iconblock ten_col whole_rhythm clearfix" id="F2"><a class="icnblk_img figpopup" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/figure/F2/" target="figure"><img alt="Fig. 2" class="small-thumb" src="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/bin/ymj-48-807-g002.gif" title="Fig. 2" /></a>   <div class="icnblk_cntnt" id="lgnd_F2"> <div><a class="figpopup" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/figure/F2/" target="figure">Fig. 2</a></div> <div><span>Mean IOP (mean ± SD) change before and while the goggles were worn, and<br /> after they were removed(Repeated measures of ANOVA with Bonferroni<br /> correction, <sup>*</sup><em>p</em> &lt; 0.05).</span></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="tsec sec" id="__sec7"> <h2 class="head no_bottom_margin ui-helper-clearfix" id="__sec7title">DISCUSSION</h2> <p class="p p-first" id="__p10">Various activities in everyday life have been reported to increase intraocular<br /> pressure. Playing the trumpet has been reported to elevate the IOP by 20<br /> mmHg,<sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B4" id="__tag_127817476" role="button">4</a></sup> the Sirsasana posture in yoga has been shown to induce IOP to rise up to 15.8 mmHg,<sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B5" id="__tag_127817478" role="button">5</a></sup> and the necktie has been shown to be responsible for a 1.58 mmHg rise in IOP.<sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B6" id="__tag_127817477" role="button">6</a></sup><sup>,</sup><sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B7" id="__tag_127817480" role="button">7</a></sup> In this study, swimming goggles resulted in a 2.4 mmHg increase in IOP.<br /> This rise may not be as high as that of musicians playing the trumpet<br /> or yoga practitioners in the Sirsasana posture, but it is greater than<br /> the IOP rise caused by neckties. Although this increase in IOP may not<br /> have a significant effect on normal participants, any elevation of IOP,<br /> such as that caused by the wearing of swimming goggles, may be<br /> detrimental to patients with advanced glaucoma.<sup><a class="bibr popnode tag_hotlink tag_tooltip jig-ncbipopper" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2628147/#B8" id="__tag_127817481" role="button">8</a></sup> The IOP elevation was observed immediately after the goggles were put<br /> on, and this elevation returned to a normal level immediately after they<br /> were removed. Although the decrease in IOP immediately after removing<br /> the goggles did not have statistical significance, it does imply that<br /> the change in IOP is a result of direct pressure on the periorbital<br /> tissue.</p> <p id="__p11">This preliminary study has been performed in<br /> normal subjects who are much younger than the average glaucoma patient,<br /> so further studies in glaucomatous subjects are necessary. Also, this<br /> study simulates only partial effects of the swimming goggles because the<br /> anterior section of the lens was removed. The vacuum pressure inside<br /> the chamber formed in each eye by the goggles should also be considered.</p> <p class="p p-last" id="__p12">This study used one common type of swimming goggles, and so a different<br /> goggle design which has less pressure around periorbital tissue could<br /> have a different effect on IOP. Therefore, advanced glaucoma patients<br /> who use swimming goggles regularly should be carefully monitored, or<br /> should use specially-designed swimming goggles that produce minimal<br /> pressure around the eyelid.</p> </div> <div class="tsec sec" id="__ref-listid824696"> <h2 class="head no_bottom_margin ui-helper-clearfix" id="__ref-listid824696title">References</h2> <div class="ref-list-sec sec" id="reference-list"> <div class="ref-cit-blk half_rhythm" id="B1">1. <span class="element-citation">Sato<br /> EA, Ohtake Y, Shinoda K, Mashima Y, Kimura I. Decreased blood flow at<br /> neuroretinal rim of optic nerve head corresponds with visual field<br /> deficit in eyes with normal-tension glaucoma. <span><span class="ref-journal">Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. </span>2006;<span class="ref-vol">244</span>:795–801.</span> <span class="nowrap ref pubmed">[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16315043" target="pmc_ext">PubMed</a>]</span></span></div> <div class="ref-cit-blk half_rhythm" id="B2">2. <span class="element-citation">Boehm AG, Pillunat LE, Koeller U, Katz B, Schicketanz C, Klemm M, et al. Regional distribution of optic nerve head blood flow. <span><span class="ref-journal">Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. </span>1999;<span class="ref-vol">237</span>:484–488.</span> <span class="nowrap ref pubmed">[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10379609" target="pmc_ext">PubMed</a>]</span></span></div> <div class="ref-cit-blk half_rhythm" id="B3">3. <span class="element-citation">Logan JF, Rankin SJ, Jackson AJ. 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Intraocular<br /> pressure changes and ocular biometry during sirsasana (headstand<br /> posture) in yoga practitioners. <span><span class="ref-journal">Ophthalmology. </span>2006;<span class="ref-vol">113</span>:1327–1332.</span> <span class="nowrap ref pubmed">[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16806478" target="pmc_ext">PubMed</a>]</span></span></div> <div class="ref-cit-blk half_rhythm" id="B6">6. <span class="element-citation">Talty P, O'Brien PD. Does extended wear of a tight necktie cause raised intraocular pressure? <span><span class="ref-journal">J Glaucoma. </span>2005;<span class="ref-vol">14</span>:508–510.</span> <span class="nowrap ref pubmed">[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16276286" target="pmc_ext">PubMed</a>]</span></span></div> <div class="ref-cit-blk half_rhythm" id="B7">7. <span class="element-citation">Teng C, Gurses-Ozden R, Liebmann JM, Tello C, Ritch R. Effect of a tight necktie on intraocular pressure. <span><span class="ref-journal">Br J Ophthalmol . </span>2003;<span class="ref-vol">87</span>:946–948.</span> <span class="nowrap ref pmc">[<a class="int-reflink" href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1771792/">PMC free article</a>]</span> <span class="nowrap ref pubmed">[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12881330" target="pmc_ext">PubMed</a>]</span></span></div> <div class="ref-cit-blk half_rhythm" id="B8">8. <span class="element-citation">The<br /> Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) 7. The relationship between<br /> control of intraocular pressure and visual field deterioration. The<br /> AGIS Investigators. <span><span class="ref-journal">Am J Ophthalmol. </span>2000;<span class="ref-vol">130</span>:429–440.</span> <span class="nowrap ref pubmed">[<a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11024415" target="pmc_ext">PubMed</a>]</span></span></div> </div> </div> </div> <hr class="whole_rhythm no_bottom_margin" /><div class="courtesy-note no_margin small">Articles from <span class="acknowledgment-journal-title">Yonsei Medical Journal</span> are provided here courtesy of <strong>Yonsei University College of Medicine</strong></div> <p> </p> </div></div></div><div class="field field-name-taxonomy-vocabulary-2 field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline inline clearfix"><h3 class="field-label">Filed Under (tags): </h3><ul class="links inline"><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-0"><a href="/tags/glaucoma">glaucoma</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-1"><a href="/tags/intraocular-pressure">intraocular pressure</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-2"><a href="/tags/eyes">eyes</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-3"><a href="/tags/exercise">exercise</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-4"><a href="/tags/swimming">swimming</a></li><li class="taxonomy-term-reference-5"><a href="/tags/goggles">goggles</a></li></ul></div> Sun, 24 May 2009 18:53:59 +0000 dave 501 at https://www.fiteyes.com