Sleeping With Lights On May Help Diabetics' Eyes

Retinal Damage In Diabetics Associated With Oxygen Demand

What possible benefit could sleeping with lights on have for diabetics?

According to a research letter published in this week's issue of The Lancet, night-time illumination could help prevent retinal damage, a condition that can result in severe visual impairment in people with diabetes.

SURVEY Could you sleep with lights on? No way. Maybe, if I were really tired. Sure, I do it all the time. Results | Disclaimer

People with diabetes generally have impaired blood capillary function, which reduces oxygen uptake to body tissue, including the retina.

It has been suggested that retinal damage in diabetics might be caused by oxygen deprivation to the inner layers of the retina during the hours of darkness; this is thought to occur because the rod receptors -- responsible for night vision -- have the highest oxygen demand of any cell in the human body.

Researchers from Cardiff University in the United Kingdom found that light transmission through closed eyelids suppresseses the need for the eyes to adapt to darkness -- which reduces the oxygen consumption needed in the retina.

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