Daylight‑saving time shift linked to higher risk of retinal diseases in US study

Researchers at Northwestern University analyzed health‑insurance claims for more than 18 million American adults aged 18‑64 and found that the spring shift to daylight‑saving time, which reduces sleep by one hour, is associated with a 20‑30 % increase in the risk of proliferative diabetic retinopathy and neovascular age‑related macular degeneration in the following month. By contrast, the autumn return to standard time was linked to a 20‑40 % reduction in the risk of retinal artery and vein occlusions and the same retinal diseases.

The study, published in Scientific Reports, compared incidence rates of four retinal‑vascular conditions in the weeks after each seasonal clock change with control periods in January and July. Lead author Dr Rukhsana Mirza, professor of ophthalmology at Northwestern, said, “Our findings suggest that gaining an hour of sleep may protect against retinal disease, and patients presenting new symptoms after the spring shift should be evaluated more closely.”