Subscribe to Newsletter
Subspecialties Basic & Translational Research, Neuro-ophthalmology

Battlestar Bulge

We’ve covered the ophthalmic issues caused by spaceflight before (1)(2) – but now, there’s a new twist in this cosmic tale. It appears that changes in the eye observed in astronauts may be linked to their weight (3).

Jay Buckey, first author of the associated study, has a long-standing interest in the effects of microgravity on the human body – and has experienced them first hand, having flown in space as a specialist astronaut on several missions. “The more someone weighs the more likely they are to experience visual changes on long-duration spaceflights,” he explains. “From our work using numerical modeling to understand the effect of weightlessness on the eye, and from our previous studies, we had a strong feeling that the loss of tissue weight was an important, and unique, change that occurs in microgravity.”

But the work doesn’t only have implications in space. “These findings are relevant to people with visual changes due to idiopathic intracranial hypertension, which is a condition also affected by body weight,” Buckey says. Their model shows that the more someone weighs, the higher their intracranial pressure – something supported by clinical data; however, during microgravity exposure, the model suggests that heavier people will have a greater initial reduction in intracranial pressure compared with people who weigh less. What happens to these pressures when someone spends a relatively long time in space? Not currently known, says Buckey.

“This study provides another piece of the puzzle to help us understand why these visual changes occur,” says Buckey – but many questions remain to be answered. In space, it’s still ophthalmology – but not quite as we know it…

Receive content, products, events as well as relevant industry updates from The Ophthalmologist and its sponsors.

When you click “Subscribe” we will email you a link, which you must click to verify the email address above and activate your subscription. If you do not receive this email, please contact us at [email protected].
If you wish to unsubscribe, you can update your preferences at any point.

  1. R Steer, “Miami, we have a problem”, The Ophthalmologist, 37, 10–11 (2017). Available at: bit.ly/miamiproblem.
  2. M Schubert, “(Ophthalmic) space oddity”, The Ophthalmologist, 27, 16–17 (2016). Available at: bit.ly/spaceoddityeye.
  3. JC Buckey et al., “Microgravity-induced ocular changes are related to body weight”, Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol, [Epub ahead of print] (2018). PMID: 29768035.
About the Author
Roisin McGuigan

I have an extensive academic background in the life sciences, having studied forensic biology and human medical genetics in my time at Strathclyde and Glasgow Universities. My research, data presentation and bioinformatics skills plus my ‘wet lab’ experience have been a superb grounding for my role as a deputy editor at Texere Publishing. The job allows me to utilize my hard-learned academic skills and experience in my current position within an exciting and contemporary publishing company.

Product Profiles

Access our product directory to see the latest products and services from our industry partners

Here
Most Popular
Register to The Ophthalmologist

Register to access our FREE online portfolio, request the magazine in print and manage your preferences.

You will benefit from:
  • Unlimited access to ALL articles
  • News, interviews & opinions from leading industry experts
  • Receive print (and PDF) copies of The Ophthalmologist magazine

Register

Disclaimer

The Ophthalmologist website is intended solely for the eyes of healthcare professionals. Please confirm below: