J Korean Ophthalmol Soc.  2012 Oct;53(10):1480-1487.

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

• Lee E
• Yang JW
• Kwon JD

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.

Keyword

Ama; Breath-hold diving; Haenyeo (female divers); Intraocular pressure; Optic nerve

MeSH Terms

Diving
Female
Glaucoma
Humans
Intraocular Pressure
Optic Nerve
Surveys and Questionnaires
Visual Fields

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