Sleep disturbances in young subjects with visual dysfunction: discussion by

Abstract

Wee and Van Gelder have conducted a very interesting study in the best tradition of using new scientific knowledge to predict clinical features. Looking at 3 separate groups of about 12 patients each, they compared individuals who were essentially blind from outer retinal disease with those who were blind due to inner retinal impairment (loss of retinal ganglion cells) and compared both groups with 12 controls with normal sight. Their hypothesis was that patients who had suffered retinal ganglion cell loss would, due to injury of the retinal hypothalamic tract, express sleep disorders as a reflection of disturbed circadian rhythms. Their results did bear out that patients with retinal ganglion cell dysfunction were not only more likely than normals to nap, but also more likely to nap than patients with equally poor vision but in whom the damage was limited to the outer retina.