Glaucoma is a disease in which the optic nerve, which plays an important role in transmitting visual information received from the eye, to the brain occurs, resulting in visual field loss. The exact cause of glaucoma is unknown. It is known that damage to the optic nerve due to an increase in intraocular pressure and disturbance in the blood flow to the optic nerve cause damage to the optic nerve to affect the development. Other factors such as ophthalmic surgery and trauma history, cataract status, drinking alcohol, and drugs to treat diseases also affect the occurrence. It has been reported that the incidence rate is higher if there is a family history, high intraocular pressure, high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or myopia. When glaucoma develops, the sudden rise in intraocular pressure causes pain in the eyes, and at the same time, redness of the eyes and blurred vision appear. In addition, the symptoms of blurred vision and pain in the eyes and head are also symptoms that can occur as a result of the progression of glaucoma. If left untreated and left untreated, this glaucoma can lead to persistent loss of vision, narrowing your field of vision and, in the worst case, permanent loss of vision. Therefore, it is important to get a diagnosis as soon as possible when symptoms are suspected, especially if you have a family history of glaucoma. In addition, it is important to maintain various habits that help eye health on a daily basis and to maintain preventive maintenance in advance. So today, let’s look at some of the glaucoma prevention habits.
Glaucoma Prevention Habits
1. Steady exercise
Maintaining a normal level of intraocular pressure is important to prevent glaucoma. Regular aerobic exercise, such as walking and jogging, can help a lot in maintaining normal levels of intraocular pressure. In particular, in the case of a job group that uses a lot of computers, it is recommended to secure enough time to exercise and keep it constant because the intraocular pressure is likely to rise due to the nature of the job where the monitor is viewed a lot. However, excessive strength exercises, handstands, and sit-ups can cause an increase in abdominal pressure, which can lead to an increase in intraocular pressure.
2. No smoking
It is also important to refrain from smoking to prevent glaucoma. Smoking causes all blood vessels in the body to constrict, preventing the flow of blood. This action adversely affects the normal flow of blood through the optic nerve. In addition, research has shown that smoking increases intraocular pressure by 5 mmHg with just one cigarette. Therefore, you should stop smoking and make it a habit to quit smoking. In addition, excessive drinking habits and excessive caffeine intake can also affect the increase in intraocular pressure, so intake should be controlled appropriately.
3. Eat foods that are good for eye health
The habit of regularly consuming fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins that are good for the eyes also has a good effect on preventing glaucoma. Vitamin A, beta-carotene, anthocyanin, lutein, and zeaxanthin are representative ingredients that are beneficial to the eyes. A variety of foods such as blueberries, bilberries, grapes, carrots, pumpkin, spinach, walnuts, strawberries, omija, kaleidoscope, and olive oil help to maintain normal intraocular pressure and prevent glaucoma, so it is important to consume them regularly. On the other hand, excessive intake of stimulant foods high in salt and chemical seasonings causes blood flow disturbance, so it is recommended to control intake.
4. Implement a habit to rest your eyes
It is also important to prevent glaucoma by consistently implementing a maintenance habit for resting the eyes. It is said that frequent eye massage or viewing distant scenery can help reduce eye strain and lower intraocular pressure. In particular, excessive use of smartphones or electronic devices in dark places is the main cause of increased intraocular pressure, so it is recommended to improve these habits. In addition, the habit of wearing a tie or tight clothing for a long time can cause an increase in intraocular pressure, and it is recommended to refrain from reading a book in a prone position as it can be the main cause of the increase in intraocular pressure.
5. Get enough sleep
Getting enough rest and sleep is also important for regulating intraocular pressure. Also, getting enough sleep is important, but sleeping posture is also important. It is known that if the pillow height is excessively low when lying on the side, the veins in the head and neck area are compressed, which impedes blood circulation in the eyes and affects the increase in intraocular pressure. Therefore, it is recommended to lie down in an upright position on a pillow of an appropriate height so that the angle of the head and the floor with respect to the shoulders is about 30 degrees.
6. Regular check-ups
Early detection of glaucoma is important, so it is recommended that you have an annual check-up for glaucoma if you are over 40. In particular, if you have a family history of glaucoma, if you have systemic diseases such as diabetes, low blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, etc., or if you have eye diseases such as myopia or farsightedness, it is recommended to have regular examinations. In principle, glaucoma is treated with drugs, and the goal is to lower the intraocular pressure and prevent the progression of the disease. However, despite drug treatment, if intraocular pressure cannot be controlled or there is a change in the field of vision, or if drug treatment is no longer possible due to drug side effects, laser treatment or surgical treatment may be considered.
