Sipping a mug of piping hot tea on a cold day doesn't just warm you up—it may also protect your vision. That's the good news from a new UCLA study, which found a daily cup of hot tea may reduce your risk by up to 74 percent of developing glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
However, drinking green tea or its extracts in moderate doses might have beneficial effects, especially for people with high IOP, or for those who have risk factors for glaucoma development.
No “statistically significant” connection was established between consumption of the caffeinated versus decaffeinated beverages and glaucoma risk. However, researchers did find that those who drank one daily cup of caffeinated hot tea were 74 percent less likely to have glaucoma.
High trans fats have been proven to cause damage to the optic nerve. Time to cut out fried foods, baked goods and any product with an ingredient list that includes hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Saturated foods that include red meat, beef, lard, shortening and oils can also worsen glaucoma.
That's the good news from a new UCLA study, which found a daily cup of hot tea may reduce your risk by up to 74 percent of developing glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
Prescription eye drops can stop glaucoma from progressing. Your eye care specialist will recommend how often to return for follow-up exams. Medicare covers a glaucoma test once a year for people in high-risk groups.
Research has shown that regular exercise may lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients. It does not have to be rigorous exercise to have a beneficial effect, but rather a brisk walk every other day for 20 to 30 minutes.
Drinking a quart of water in less than five minutes has been shown to increase intraocular pressure; instead, advise your patients to drink small amounts of water often to stay hydrated.
The most common treatment for glaucoma is prescription eye drops. They work by lowering the pressure in your eye and preventing damage to your optic nerve. These eye drops won't cure glaucoma or reverse vision loss, but they can keep glaucoma from getting worse.
Peaches and Oranges
According to a NIH study, women consuming fresh peaches and oranges in excess of two servings per week reduced their odds of developing glaucoma. Orange consumption led to 82% reduction in glaucoma development, while peaches served to cut this risk by 70% percent.
Blueberries
They also may improve vision in people with normal tension glaucoma, a form of the disease that damages the optic nerve.
Ginkgo biloba, bilberry, and medical marijuana are amongst the most commonly used medicinal plants by glaucoma patients.
Diets high in fruits such as have been shown to lower the risk of glaucoma development. The most discussed benefit is through antioxidants. As oxidative stress is associated with optic nerve injury, fruits high in antioxidants, such as pomegranate, acai berries, cranberries offer the most neuroprotection.
Aerobic exercise is a great option for staying healthy while managing your glaucoma. This type of exercise includes activities like walking, swimming, biking, or working out with stationary machines like treadmills. These exercise types can increase blood circulation, which benefits the heart and brain.
Absolutely. The aim of treating patients with glaucoma is for them to be able to maintain their quality of life and live as normally as possible. Patients with glaucoma have a normal life expectancy and, with treatment, can carry out activities as they did before diagnosis.
If undetected and untreated, glaucoma first causes peripheral vision loss and eventually can lead to blindness. By the time you notice vision loss from glaucoma, it's too late.
Glaucoma is a slowly progressing problem. On an average, untreated Glaucoma takes around 10-15 years to advance from early damage to total blindness. With an IOP (Intraocular Pressure) of 21-25 mmHg it takes 15 yrs to progress, an IOP of 25-30 mmHg around seven years and pressure more than 30 mmHg takes three years.
Many people assume that 'using your eyes' can worsen your glaucoma. Reading, watching TV or using your phone or computer does not have any impact on your glaucoma.
Particularly, Mg has been shown to improve the ocular blood flow in patients with glaucoma and may protect the retinal ganglion cell against oxidative stress and apoptosis [2, 3, 19].
Some of the newer medications on the market are eye drops called VYZULTA (latanoprostene bunod ophthalmic solution) and Rhopressa (netarsudil ophthalmic solution). VYZULTA is a modification of a current class of medications currently used to treat glaucoma – the prostaglandin analogs.