Glaucoma is an eye condition where an increase in the pressure within the eyeballs eventually results in the loss of sight. Though glaucoma is more likely to affect senior citizens, the fact is that everyone is at risk.
Glaucoma is a non-curable ailment but appropriate Glaucoma prevention measures can be taken to lower the damage caused by it. A healthy glaucoma prevention diet also reduces the risk of glaucoma. By the end of this blog, you would have unlocked answers to salient questions such as natural ways to prevent glaucoma, cure of the ailment, and more.
What is Glaucoma
For starters, glaucoma is an eye condition that causes damage to the optic nerve. The long-term implication of overlooking the symptoms of glaucoma is progressive and irreversible vision loss. Open-angle glaucoma and Angle-closure glaucoma are the most common forms of this eye-ailment.
In open-angle glaucoma, the drainage angle for the fluid within the eye remains open whereas, in Angle-closure glaucoma, the angle between the iris and cornea is extremely narrow. Glaucoma prevention becomes an absolute necessity if you have a family history of Glaucoma.
Severe eye infection, chemical injury to the eyes, and lowered supply of blood to the eyes due to blocked blood vessels are the other common causes of this eye-ailment.
The risks posed by Glaucoma can be massively reduced by consuming nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables like carrots, peaches, radishes, green beans, beets, celery, etc.
Glaucoma Prevention Diet: Key to lower the worsening of the ailment
Glaucoma prevention diet (or a healthy diet) should be rich in essential vitamins and nutrients. Nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables should be an integral part of the diet. The diet should be complemented with a healthy lifestyle, moderate exercise, and sufficient rest to prevent the worsening of Glaucoma.
Healthy Food items for glaucoma prevention
Your vision health can improve to a great extent by consuming carotenoid-rich vegetables like:
- Kale
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Green beans
- Broccoli
- Cantaloupe
- Sweet potato
- Radishes
- Sprouts
- Beets
In glaucoma, oxidative stress is largely associated with the damage caused to the optic nerve. Glaucoma prevention diet should be rich in antioxidants as it helps in preventing damage to the eye. Here are some of the ideal sources of antioxidants that should be a part of your daily diet:
- Black and green tea
- Spinach
- Acai berries
- Flax Seeds
- Pomegranate
- Dark Chocolate
- Cranberries
Consuming an adequate quantity of dairy foods such as milk and cheese is essential for maintaining good eye health and possibly preventing the ailment.
Food Items to avoid to reduce glaucoma risks
There are plenty of food items that should be avoided at all possible costs to reduce the risks associated with glaucoma. Avoiding these items also helps in improving eye health.
- Keep the salt consumption to a moderate level, best is to keep it at a bare minimum
- Coffee is rich in antioxidants but excessive consumption can increase Blood Pressure (if you already have glaucoma)
- Avoid food that contains an excessive amount of calories
- Do not consume liquids in a single go. Instead, consume liquids at timely intervals.
A diet that is filled with Vitamins and Nutrients only helps in health improvement and prevention of the ailment. Can glaucoma be cured with diet changes is a question that every glaucoma patient has in their minds. Diet changes can only prevent glaucoma and not cure it.
It is recommended to visit your doctor to get answers related to the ideal glaucoma prevention diet, lifestyle choices, and more.
How to prevent glaucoma naturally with lifestyle and home remedies
Though the damage caused by glaucoma cannot be reversed, treatment and timely checkups can help in slowing or preventing vision loss. Apart from adopting a glaucoma prevention diet, there are other lifestyle and home remedies that can help in improving eye health.
- Always sleep with the head elevated at around 20 degrees so that intraocular pressure does not increase when you are sleeping.
- Always follow a good exercise routine to reduce eye pressure. This step is highly recommended if you are having open-angle glaucoma. Always consult your doctor before making changes in your exercise regime.
- Consuming a Vitamin and Nutrient-rich diet holds the key to prevent the worsening of glaucoma.
- Take the prescribed eye drops and other medicines as advised by the doctor.
Looking for the best glaucoma treatment?
If you are looking for glaucoma treatment from an experienced team of eye specialists, check out Centre for Sight today. The state-of-the-art technology at Centre for Sight hospitals can help in detecting glaucoma at a very early stage.
Article: Remedies and Techniques to Prevent Glaucoma
Author: CFS Editorial Team | Feb 07, 2021 | UPDATED 03:19 IST
*The views expressed here are solely those of the author in his private capacity and do not in any way represent the views of Centre for Sight.
