Glaucoma prevention: Tips, diet and exercises

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists glaucoma as one of the leading reasons for irreversible blindness worldwide, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US states that it is the third largest cause of blindness. Glaucoma is an eye disease that progressively damages the optic nerve in our eyes, and yes, if left untreated, it can lead to blindness. While glaucoma cannot be cured, early detection and treatment can help you save your vision and hamper the progression of the disease. This World Glaucoma Week, it is essential to raise awareness about the importance of glaucoma prevention through regular eye check-ups, a healthy lifestyle, and protective measures.

What is glaucoma?

Glaucoma is a disease that can gradually damage the optic nerve over time, and before treatment, may culminate in complete blindness. It is accompanied by excess pressure within the eye. “While the disease is progressively damaging, it also does have some unique qualities; patients suffering from Glaucoma don’t show any prominent symptoms until experiencing vision loss, leading doctors to often refer to it as the ‘Silent Thief of Sight.’

Unfortunately, in time, the loss of vision can culminate in Blindness,” explains Glaucoma eye specialist Dr Roshan Colaco. Though the disease cannot be fully cured, if treated and managed immediately, patients can save their vision. Also, many glaucoma prevention tips can help you avoid it in the first place.

Can glaucoma be prevented?

Yes, glaucoma can seem tricky to navigate, but when armed with the right knowledge, vision loss doesn’t have to be inevitable. One of the biggest glaucoma prevention tips is to make regular check-up appointments. This can help mitigate the disease, especially for those already in high-risk groups. Surprisingly, having good physical health, actively controlling diabetes and hypertension, and protecting one’s eyes from possible injuries can also help mitigate the strain as well as the onset of Glaucoma, says Dr Colaco. If intervened at the right time, the disease can be treated before it leads to complete vision loss.

5 tips to prevent glaucoma

Many helpful glaucoma prevention tips can be implemented that can save your eye sight. Here is what to do:

1. Regular eye check-ups

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention states that regular eye exams are an important part of finding eye diseases early to protect your vision. Check-ups allow for easier pacing of the disease, maintaining good overall health helps protect against the onset of glaucoma. Therefore, one of the most effective glaucoma prevention tips is to get your eyes tested.

“Regular examinations aid in the identification of high pressure as well as optic nerve damage, granting easy access to proper treatment before it turns into blindness. Persons aged 40 and above, those with a family history of glaucoma, diabetes, high myopia (minus number) or high hypermetropia (plus number) and those with high blood pressure should have complete eye examinations scheduled between one and two years,” says Dr Colaco.

2. Follow an eye-healthy diet

Nutritious food nourish the optic nerves and play a role in maintaining eye pressure. The Ophthalmology Journal states that a lower risk of glaucoma is associated with an increased dietary intake of various nutrients, including the family of B vitamins, omega-3 fatty acids, nitrates, and specific foods such as green leafy vegetables and fruits. Therefore, one of the biggest glaucoma prevention tips is to eat healthy.

Make sure to include spinach, kale, and collard greens as they are rich in antioxidants. Also include sources of omega-3 fatty acids such as salmon, flax seeds, and walnuts to improve blood flow; citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and grapefruits providing vitamin C that helps to protect the fragile eye tissues. Nuts and seeds, for instance, almonds and sunflower seeds, are excellent for nerves due to vitamin E, which is essential in keeping nerve cells healthy.

3. Exercise regularly, but safely

Regular physical activity improves blood circulation and helps maintain healthy eye pressure. The Glaucoma Research Foundation states that aerobic exercise lowers intraocular pressure (IOP), which we know protects retinal ganglion cells. This is one of the best glaucoma prevention tips. Regulating blood pressure and enhancing eye fluid drainage can be affected positively by the following activities such as walking, jogging, swimming, and cycling. Yoga can also be beneficial, provided it does not contain head-down poses like downward dogs, which can counteract the benefits.

Blinking is also one of the best glaucoma prevention tips. It increases the eye’s overall capability to correctly focus on not only the near point of fixation (the computer or other digital device) but also at every point along the ocular visual pathway, explains Dr Colaco. Another way to enhance overall eye health is to perform alternatives to a stare (focusing on a single point). This way, the visual system can once again regulate itself freely and at a more natural rhythm. These exercises can be done at the end of the working day.

4. Protect your eyes against injuries and wear and tear

Eye trauma may provoke secondary glaucoma, so take all steps to prevent it. Some glaucoma prevention tips include wearing the right protective goggles when there are associated risks, such as working with things like power tools, participating in sports activities, or any chemical risks.

5. Stress management and adequate sleep

Chronic stress and poor quality of sleep could elevate eye pressure and cause damage to the optic nerve. Therefore a big part of glaucoma prevention is handling stress with deep breathing, meditation, or any other forms of mindfulness to improve overall health. Develop the habit of quality and screen-free sleep. Sleeping with a head elevation will help in the use for reducing some puffiness around the eyes.

How does glaucoma get worse?

In a patient with glaucoma, the neurons in the optic nerve are progressively damaged, resulting in loss of vision. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is the most significant risk factor for worsening damage due to glaucoma. “If left unattended, the loss of nerve fibres can result in worsening of peripheral vision forming unnoticed blind spots. Not only the peripheral vision, but untreated glaucoma can cause the loss of visual acuity resulting in irreversible loss of vision leading to untreatable blindness,” explains Glaucoma and Cataract specialist Dr Jaswant Singh.

Glaucoma can also get worse if there is poor blood flow towards the optic nerve in conditions like nocturnal hypotension, a drop in blood pressure during night time, and obstructive sleep apnea, a sleep disorder. Most of the patients remain asymptomatic in the early stages of glaucoma. Not understanding the disease and being careless in treatment is the most important cause of glaucoma progression.

Can you cure glaucoma?

Glaucoma is the most important cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. A remarkable improvement has happened in the management of glaucoma with the advent of more efficacious drugs, laser therapies and improved success of various surgical procedures available for glaucoma, explains Dr Singh. It is critical to understand that any lost vision due to glaucoma can never be recovered. Any cure for glaucoma is still not available and early detection is still the key for avoiding any blindness due to glaucoma.

Glaucoma is scary as it progresses silently. However, some important glaucoma prevention tips such as regular eye check-ups, as well as eating well and sleeping enough can help you. These are crucial for people especially over 40 years who have diabetes, high blood pressure, or a family history of glaucoma. It is important to consult an ophthalmologist immediately for early diagnosis and treatment.