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Lee, Yang, and Kwon: The Effect of Breath-Hold Diving on Intraocular Pressure, Optic Nerve, Visual Field in Korean Haenyeo (Female Divers)
Original Article
Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society

Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society 2012; 53(10): 1480-1487.

Published online: 17 October 2012

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3341/jkos.2012.53.10.1480

The Effect of Breath-Hold Diving on Intraocular Pressure, Optic Nerve, Visual Field in Korean Haenyeo (Female Divers)

Eung Lee, MD1, Jae Wook Yang, MD, PhD1, Jeong Do Kwon, MD2

1Department of Ophthalmology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, Korea.

2Good Eye Clinic, Busan, Korea.

Address reprint requests to Jae Wook Yang, MD, PhD. Department of Ophthalmology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, #75 Bokji-ro, Busanjin-gu, Busan 614-735, Korea. Tel: 82-51-890-6016, Fax: 82-51-890-6329, eyeyang@inje.ac.kr

Received 5 September 2011       Accepted 10 September 2012

Copyright © 2012 The Korean Ophthalmological Society

Abstract

Purpose

To examine how breath-hold diving activities of Korean haenyeo female divers affect intraocular pressure (IOP), optic nerve and visual field (VF).

Methods

Basic ophthalmologic tests were performed for a group of breath-hold female divers (26 eyes) and a control group of non-divers (26 eyes) and the results compared between the 2 groups. For the breath-hold female diver group, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the patterns of breath-hold diving and the correlation with abnormalities in IOP, optic nerve and VF analyzed.

Results

IOP was significantly higher in the diver group (diver group: 15.00 ± 3.76 mm Hg, control group: 13.93 ± 2.36 mm Hg, p < 0.05). Between the 2 groups, the cup area (diver group: 1.21 ± 0.60 mm2, control group: 0.83 ± 0.46 mm2, p < 0.05), the cup-to-disc (C/D) ratio (diver group: 0.44 ± 0.21, control group: 0.31 ± 0.14, p < 0.05), and the vertical C/D ratio (diver group: 0.70 ± 0.17, control group: 0.51 ± 0.12, p < 0.05) were also significantly different. A significant correlation between working hours per day and IOP (r = 0.44, p < 0.05), between diving depth and RNFL defect, and cup area, and vertical C/D ratio (r = 0.43, r = 0.41, r = 0.39, p < 0.05) was observed.

Conclusions

Subjects who breath-hold dive for a long period, such as Korean Haenyeo, need to have a glaucoma test regularly.

Keywords: Ama, Breath-hold diving, Haenyeo (female divers), Intraocular pressure, Optic nerve

Figures and Tables

Table 1
Nerve fiber layer grading system features
jkos-53-1480-i001

Edited by Quigley et al, Ophthalmology 1993;100:1800-7.21

Table 2
Characteristics of the study groups
jkos-53-1480-i002

Values are mean ± standard deviation.

p-value based on Mann-Whitney U-test.

NS = not significant; IOP = intraocular pressure; BCVA = best corrected visual acuity; MD = mean deviation; PSD = pattern standard deviation.

Table 3
Comparison of OCT parameters between breath-hold women diver eyes and control eyes
jkos-53-1480-i003

Values are mean ± standard deviation.

p-value based on Mann-Whitney U-test.

NS = not significant; VIRA = vertical integrated rim area; HIRW = horizontal integrated rim width; C/D = cup to disc.

Table 4
Correlation of between IOP, VF, RF, OCT parameters and diving patterns in breath-hold women diver eyes
jkos-53-1480-i004

Value are number of p-value (R).

R = Pearson's correlation coefficient; p = Pearson's correlation analysis.

IOP = intraocular pressure; VF = visual field examination; RF = red free photographic examination; OCT = optical coherence tomography; MD = mean deviation; PSD = pattern standard deviation; VIRA = vertical integrated rim area; HIRW = horizontal integrated rim width; C/D = cup to disc.

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