Lifestyle changes for glaucoma patients?

• September 20, 2021

In case of glaucoma, a few methods like modifications in food habits, exercise, and sleep patterns have been shown to slow down glaucoma.

Diet

Incorporating fruits and vegetables is beneficial if you are a glaucoma patient. The antioxidants taken have shown positive effects on glaucoma.

So make sure you eat carrots, green leafy vegetables, and all the good ‘eye food' to reduce your risk of glaucoma.

The Mediterranean Diet

The diet consists of olive oil, legumes, unrefined cereals, fruits, vegetables, fish. The consumption of all these foods, which are rich in omega-3 and antioxidants, helps to slow down glaucoma.

Dietary supplements-

Few dietary supplements encourage positive effects on glaucoma. However, patients should always consult their doctors before resorting to any supplements.

The dietary supplements beneficial for glaucoma are;

• Coenzyme Q10, Also known as CoQ10 or ubiquinone
• Flavonoid anthocyanins
• Ginkgo Biloba extract (GBE)
• Magnesium
• Melatonin
• Vitamin B3
• Mirtogenol

Exercise

Being fit and fine is unquestionably the solution to a healthy lifestyle. Different types of exercises can have different effects on glaucoma patients.

Aerobic exercise-

Vigorous exercise can decrease the visual field by 10%. But, aerobic activities like swimming, biking, walking three to four times a week have the ability to lower the intraocular pressure and also improve the blood flow to the eye.

Weight training

Healthcare providers do not suggest excessive weight lifting and strength training exercises. As studies regarding this fact do not have much evidence. Therefore, it is mandatory to maintain caution while working out extensively.

Yoga

The ancient discipline of exercise and stretching is beneficial to glaucoma patients. However, a few of the ‘asanas’ are to be avoided.

Yoga helps to decrease the intraocular pressure in the eye and also halt glaucoma from advancing.

The following yoga exercises are damaging to your eyes as they might increase your eye pressure.

• The Adho Mukha Svanasana yoga position, commonly known as a downward-facing dog
• The Halasana position, also known as the yoga plow
• The Viparita Karani position, “legs up the wall.”

Yoga, if done correctly, can prevent glaucoma in high-risk patients as well.

So make yoga a part of your daily ritual to benefit from it and at the same time avoiding the asanas mentioned above.

Other lifestyle changes-

If you take care of your health and maintain the advised regimen, it will help to slow or even prevent your glaucoma considerably.

Sleeping positions-

Sleeping in the supine position can aggravate your glaucoma issue. On the contrary, sleeping with your head elevated 20 to 30 degrees can prove beneficial for glaucoma patients.

Smoking

Smoking upheavals your chances of glaucoma. It also has the ability to worsen glaucoma conditions.

The proper knowledge and awareness, along with appropriate treatment, can make life better for glaucoma patients.

A callous attitude and living life recklessly can only accentuate the present problems. On the other hand, being cautious and maintaining your health will have positive effects on most of your diseases. If you need consultion for Glucoma Specialist you can visit Delhi Eye Care