Relationship Between Sleep Position and Glaucoma Progression

<i>Introduction</i>: Glaucoma, a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide, is strongly influenced by intraocular pressure (IOP), with recent studies suggesting that nocturnal IOP fluctuations and body position during sleep may play a critical role in disease progression. The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between sleep position and glaucoma progression. <i>Aim of the study</i>: The aim of the study was to evaluate the relationship between sleep position and glaucoma progression. Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at the Department of Ophthalmology, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU), Dhaka, Bangladesh, over a 1-year period from mid-2023 to mid-2024. A total of 40 patients were included. Data were collected retrospectively from medical records, focusing on demographic characteristics, sleep position preferences, and intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests used for data analysis, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05. <i>Result</i>: Among the patients, 35.00% were aged 60-70 years, with a significant male predominance (87.50%). The most preferred sleep position was the right lateral decubitus position (LDP), chosen by 45.00% of patients, and it was associated with a mean intraocular pressure (IOP) increase of 1.8 mmHg and a 50.00% progression rate of glaucoma. Notably, patients with higher baseline IOP, representing 30.00% of the sample, experienced a mean IOP increase of 2.0 mmHg. <i>Conclusion</i>: The study highlights that the right lateral decubitus position is strongly associated with increased intraocular pressure and higher glaucoma progression, emphasizing the need to consider sleep position and individual risk factors in glaucoma management.