Improve Glaucoma Hindsight

Hindsight can be 20/20 if you prevent advanced glaucoma.

Pressure To Maintain Vision

Don’t wait for noticeable eye problems. There are few warning signs or symptoms for primary open-angle glaucoma until permanent damage has already occurred. Regular eye exams are the key to detecting glaucoma early enough for successful preventive treatment. A simple procedure called tonometry measures pressure within your eye.^[1,2]

The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends a comprehensive eye exam for all adults starting at age 40. Follow up every three to five years after that if you don’t have any glaucoma risk factors.

After age 60, you should get a test every year. For African-Americans or those with other risk factors for glaucoma, a doctor likely will recommend periodic eye exams starting between ages 20 and 39, and every one to two years after age 40.^[1]

Obvious Glaucoma Symptoms

What is glaucoma and what are the symptoms? The most common types of glaucoma—primary open-angle glaucoma and acute angle-closure glaucoma—have completely different symptoms. Glaucoma is called “primary” when there is no known cause. “Secondary” means it has an identifiable origin such as diabetes, eye injury, inflammation, tumor or advanced cataract.

Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma	Acute Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Gradual loss of peripheral vision, usually in both eyes	Severe eye pain
Tunnel vision in the advanced stages	Nausea and vomiting (with severe eye pain)
	Severe eye pain
	Sudden onset of visual disturbance, often in low light
	Blurred vision
	Halos around lights
	Reddening of the eye
Laser Surgery Options
Argon Laser Trabeculoplasty (ALT)	Laser Peripheral Iridotomy (LPI)
Selective Laser Laser Trabeculoplasty (SLT)
Cycloablation
Traditional Surgery Options
Trabeculectomy
Drainage Implant Surgery
Nonpenetrating Surgery
Promising alternative procedures include the ExPress mini glaucoma shunt, the Trabectome, and Canaloplasty.

Severe headache or pain in your eye or eyebrow, nausea, blurred vision, or rainbow halos around lights may be the symptoms of an acute angle-closure glaucoma attack. Seek immediate medical attention. Glaucoma can be treated with eye drops, pills, laser surgery, traditional surgery or a combination of these methods. The goal is to reduce intraocular pressure.^[3]

Natural Ways to Lower Eye Pressure

Dr. Joseph Mercola offers suggestions for lowing eye pressure in persons predisposed to glaucoma.^[4] Seek advice of a nutritionist before making drastic dietary changes. Discuss Mercola’s suggestions with your ophthalmologist if you have already been diagnosed with glaucoma or your personal physician if you are taking other medications:

Avoid sugar and grains, the two “food groups” that will inevitably cause surges in your insulin levels. Even whole, organic grains will rapidly break down to sugars, so they too should be avoided. This includes breads and starches like potatoes. Avoid trans fat found in many processed foods and baked goods, including margarine, shortening, fried foods like french fries, fried chicken and donuts, cookies, pastries and crackers.

Take an animal-based omega-3 fat supplement. Lutein, which is a carotenoid found in particularly large quantities in green, leafy vegetables, (kale, collard greens, spinach, broccoli, brussels sprouts and egg yolks) acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from free radical damage.

Strength training can go a long way.

The European blueberry, bilberry, is known to prevent and even reverse macular degeneration, and bioflavonoids from other dark-colored berries including blueberries and cranberries are also beneficial. Bilberry is available as dried fruit, extracts or leaf form. Longterm leaf use is possibly unsafe or anyone.

Taking bilberry leaves along with diabetes medications might cause your blood sugar to go too low. Early research suggests that taking 60 mg of a bilberry chemical, called anthocyanin, twice daily for at least 12 months improves vision in people with glaucoma.^[4,5]

A regular, effective exercise program consisting of aerobics, sprint-burst type exercises, and strength training can go a long way toward reducing your insulin levels and protecting your vision.

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