Do your part to help prevent vision loss due to glaucoma. Take care of your eyes by eating foods packed with vitamin D, such as milk, cheese and dark leafy greens. You should also expose your bare skin to sunlight for around 20 minutes a day depending on skin type. You do not need to tan or burn to get vitamin D.
Here's the dish: Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and halibut contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which research suggests may help reduce the risk of developing eye disease later in life. Additionally, eating more omega-3s has been shown to decrease glaucoma-related pressure in the eye.
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.
Glaucoma is treated by lowering intraocular pressure. Treatment options include prescription eye drops, oral medicines, laser treatment, surgery or a combination of approaches.
This can not only increase intraocular pressure, but also cholesterol levels. That means limit fatty beef, lamb, pork, butter, cheese, milk, and other dairy products.
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.
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.
Dark Chocolate
Even if your Dove bar doesn't sharpen your vision, the flavonoids found in dark chocolate may help improve vision in people with glaucoma as well as reduce the risk for macular degeneration.
Maintaining a healthy weight, controlling your blood pressure, being physically active, and avoiding smoking will help you avoid vision loss from glaucoma. These healthy behaviors will also help prevent type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Eggs. Eggs are also a great source to protect from increased glaucoma. Egg yolks are rich in lutein, a type of carotenoid that helps fight the causes of legal blindness. Scientists believe that lutein is better absorbed by the body from eggs.
Avoid Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbs are found in many processed foods, which can elevate blood pressure and worsen glaucoma. Avoid items like white potatoes, white rice, pasta, baked goods, white bread, and cereal.
Foods that may help prevent glaucoma from worsening include green leafy vegetables, fruits and vegetables high in Vitamin C and A, antioxidant rich foods, complex carbohydrates such as oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, potatoes, beans, peas and lentils (foods which contain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants).
Excessive Water Drinking
A significant rise in IOP may occur after drinking a high volume of water (500mL to 1L) over a short time period (15minutes). Glaucoma patients should avoid ingesting large volumes of fluid rapidly.
Green Tea
Long term, increased intraocular pressure can lead to damage to the optic nerve, causing a condition called glaucoma that can result in loss of eyesight. So, drinking green tea regularly may help to regulate intraocular pressure, helping us avoid issues in the future.
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.
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.
Most cases are caused by a build-up of pressure in the eye when fluid is unable to drain properly. This increase in pressure then damages the nerve that connects the eye to the brain (optic nerve).
Reductions in IOP were found to increase with the duration of walking, jogging and running.
An Apple a Day Keeps Glaucoma at Bay: Dietary Considerations for Glaucoma Patients - Northwest Eye Surgeons.
Berries are rich in antioxidants, which can help prevent oxidative stress that contributes to glaucoma. A study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that eating plenty of berries could lower your risk of developing the disease by as much as a quarter.
Eating blueberries regularly can improve vision and strengthen blood vessels in the back of the eyes. Blueberries also contain anthocyanins, which help lower both high blood pressure and inflammation and also prevent blockages in the arteries that feed oxygen to the retina.