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.
Oranges and Peaches
Oranges are a citrus fruit that contains Vitamin C essential for healthy eyesight. Orange and peaches consumption can reduce the risk of glaucoma by 82% and 70% respectively. Peaches have Vitamin A and oranges are rich in Vitamin C. Both are important vitamins to help with glaucoma.
People who enjoyed a daily cuppa hot tea were less likely to have glaucoma than those who were tea-teetotalers, the data found, even after controlling for variables like smoking, diabetes, age, body mass index, ethnicity and gender.
Supplements that include Vitamins B1, B12, C, A, E, thiamine, magnesium and mirtogenol may be the most effective in fighting glaucoma. Herbal supplements that may have a positive effect on glaucoma include ginkgo biloba, bilberry and forskolin.
Summary. Although Magnesium is well-tolerated when taken by mouth there is insufficient evidence to support its role in the treatment of glaucoma. Additionally, the potential for prescription drug interaction is significant enough to avoid use of this supplement with any of the classes of medications listed above.
Fluid buildup, eye trauma, medications, and other eye conditions are all potential causes of an increase in eye pressure. Typically, one of the keys to reducing it is treating the root cause. It's important to remember that higher-than-normal pressure doesn't guarantee severe problems.
Bananas, avocados, pumpkin seeds, and black beans are great sources to help you meet the recommended daily allowance of 300-400 magnesium. Though more research is needed, preliminary studies suggest that dietary magnesium may benefit people with glaucoma by improving blood flow to the eye.
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.
Opt instead for saturated fats that include nuts, avocados, olive oil and pumpkin, sesame and flax seeds. Omega-3 fatty acids are beneficial for glaucoma patients because they decrease intraocular eye pressure, increase ocular blood flow and improve optic neuroprotective function.
Leafy Greens
Pile on the spinach salad and toss a handful of kale into your fruit smoothie. Helping yourself to two generous handfuls of leafy greens each day can reduce the odds for glaucoma by as much as 30%, found one large study published in JAMA Ophthalmology.
Blueberries
They also may improve vision in people with normal tension glaucoma, a form of the disease that damages the optic nerve.
The research supports this guidance: In one study, aerobic exercise (such as walking, swimming, biking, or working out on stationary machines) at a brisk level for 30 to 45 minutes three to four times a week lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) and improved blood flow to the brain and the eye.
You can't cure ocular hypertension, but your provider can treat and monitor the condition. People who have ocular hypertension may be at a higher risk for developing glaucoma, but not everyone who has ocular hypertension will automatically develop glaucoma.
Homeopathic and Lifestyle Tips
Some changes to your mundane routine can balance the amount of eye pressure experienced as well as promote all-around eye health and more. Exercising – When doing cardio, you are increasing blood flow through your body which includes the optic nerves and the retina.
Health experts recommend people avoid added sugars and refined carbohydrates to help prevent glaucoma or vision loss. In addition, coffee may increase intraocular pressure, so it is best to avoid or limit drinking it.
Elevated eye pressure happens as the result of a buildup of fluid that flows throughout the inside of the eye. This fluid also is known as the aqueous humor. It usually drains through a tissue located at the angle where the iris and cornea meet. This tissue also is called the trabecular meshwork.
Normal levels of pressure range from 12 to 22 millimeters of Mercury (mm Hg) in your eye, so anything above that range signals that not enough fluid is escaping. This type of test is usually done in almost every eye doctor visit.
That sounds simple enough, except for the fact that eye pressure varies – sometimes quite dramatically. “Pressure is highest typically in the morning, when you're just waking up, and lowest in the afternoon,” says Johnson.
Simple carbohydrates can elevate insulin levels, raising the blood pressure and your IOP. Caffeine and alcohol consumption can also raise your IOP. Also, drinking large volumes of water or other liquids at a time may raise the intraocular pressure of your eyes.
Although uncommon because the body removes excess amounts, too much magnesium due to supplementation or medication can cause: Double vision. Nausea.
Lutein and zeaxanthin, nutrients found naturally in the eyes, are believed to be especially beneficial to eye health and can reduce the risk factors for glaucoma. Spinach and other leafy green vegetables contain high amounts of these antioxidants.
Furthermore, significant magnesium deficiency has been identified in patients with glaucoma (14, 15), with magnesium supplementation having been shown to improve the visual field of glaucoma patients (16).