Neckties and Glaucoma

Men with tight neckties may be at risk for glaucoma.

Increased intraocular pressure is one factor that can lead to glaucoma, a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve and can result in loss of vision. Researchers say that wearing a tight necktie constricts the jugular vein and consequently raises blood pressure in the eye in both normal and glaucoma patients.

The research team at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary tested the intraocular pressure of 20 healthy men and 20 glaucoma patients while wearing an open-neck shirt, while wearing a necktie, and three minutes after loosening their necktie. The results were that 60 percent of the men with glaucoma and 70 percent of the healthy volunteers had increased eye pressure after wearing a tight necktie.

Dr. Robert Ritch, who led the study, warns, "If you can't get your finger in between your neck and your collar easily, it's too tight." But Dr. Ritch admits that it would likely take frequent and prolonged wear of tight neckties to cause glaucoma.

Wearing a tight necktie during an eye examination also can affect diagnoses. Temporarily high blood pressure in the eye can lead to a false diagnosis of glaucoma.

Resources:

Learn about the different types of glaucoma and their symptoms.

Test your knowledge of glaucoma with this short quiz from the National Eye Institute.

More information about Dr. Ritch's study at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary.

September 27, 2003