"ZURICH, Switzerland, March 2010 — Mountain climbing at high altitudes can cause swelling of the cornea but does not appear to affect vision, according to a new study.
Study results show that, at high altitudes, a decrease in oxygen can cause mountain sickness and cornea changes.
Researchers at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland, studied 28 volunteers who climbed Mount Muztagh Ata in western China. Participants reached about 6,300 meters or 20,670 feet.
One group of climbers had less time to acclimate before ascending. The researchers studied the climbers' corneal thickness, visual acuity and blood oxygen levels before, during and after ascent.
In both groups, corneal thickness and blood oxygen levels increased as the altitude increased; they decreased after descent. The researchers also found a correlation between corneal thickness and mountain sickness.
The group that had less time to acclimate had a greater increase in corneal thickness.
Altitude did not affect visual acuity significantly in either group.
The researchers noted that although vision was not affected at 6,300 meters, more extreme altitudes may cause damage to the cornea that could potentially lead to vision loss." ~ Source: AllAboutVision.com
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