Tips to Help Prevent Glaucoma Vision Loss

10 Tips to Reduce Your Chance of Losing Vision from Glaucoma

Recent studies have identified a number of lifestyle factors that actually influence eye pressure which is a major risk factor for glaucoma. By either avoiding or embracing certain habits you can have a positive effect on your risk of glaucoma.

Get Regular Exercise. A recent study showed that people who engaged in moderate to vigorous physical activity appear to have a 73 percent lower risk of developing glaucoma. This is because blood flow and pressure inside the eye may change with exercise, which may affect glaucoma risk.

Eat a Diet Rich in Fruits & Green Leafy Vegetables. One study showed that people who ate more leafy vegetables have a 20 to 30 percent lower risk of developing glaucoma. Why? Nitrates in green vegetables can be converted to nitric oxide, which can improve blood flow and help regulate pressure inside the eye.

Drink Tea, BUT Coffee Only in Moderation. A recent study last month showed that people who consumed at least one cup of hot tea daily had 74 percent decreased odds of having glaucoma compared with those who did not consume hot tea. A little coffee is fine, but excessive caffeine intake is not ideal. One study found that drinking 5 or more cups of caffeinated coffee increased the risk of developing glaucoma. How can tea help? Antioxidants and the flavonoids contained in tea may improve the body’s ability to prevent the harmful effects of free radical damage.

Consider a Magnesium Dietary Supplement. We now know that an adequate intake of dietary magnesium may be beneficial for patients with glaucoma because of improved circulation.

Brush, Floss & See Your Dentist Regularly. A recent study showed that tooth loss may be linked to increased glaucoma risk due to because periodontal or gum disease stimulating and inflammatory response that can contribute to glaucoma.

Don’t Smoke. Studies clearly show that smoking cigarettes increases the risk of glaucoma, and has an overall negative impact on eye health.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight. Studies show that people with a higher body mass index (BMI) are at increased risk for diabetes, and having diabetes puts people at risk of glaucoma. Having a too low BMI is also associated with increased glaucoma risk.

Avoid Inverted Yoga Positions. Studies show head-down positions can increase eye pressure and are not recommended for glaucoma patients.

Avoid Neckties. Researchers say that a too-tight necktie may increase the risk of glaucoma by increasing blood pressure inside the eyes.

  

Get Regular Eye Exams & Glaucoma Testing. Especially if you have a family history of the condition you are at greater risk and need more frequent eye exams and testing. Researchers have recently identified certain genes that increase the risk of glaucoma. Those at higher risk of glaucoma include people of African descent, people with diabetes, and those with a family history of glaucoma. You are at greatly increased risk if you have a parent or brother or sister with glaucoma. 

If you or someone you know is concerned about their glaucoma risk and is considering making lifestyle changes, before making changes please be sure to schedule an eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C. in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyeandcataractcenter

Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C. are leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Google Artificial Intelligence Can Help Diabetic Eye Exams

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) more than 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes and are therefore at risk for diabetic retinopathy and its associated vision loss and potential blinding complications. All diabetics should have regular eye exams with thorough retina exams. The task of diabetic eye exams is enormous and soon will be assisted by Google Artificial Intelligence disease detecting software. Researchers, reporting in Ophthalmology, the journal of the American Academy of Ophthalmology showed that by using Google software to analyze images and then having retina specialists provide input to refine the algorithms, it allowed the computer software disease detection software to become roughly as effective at the retina specialists. This technique of using machine learning “neural networks” to refine disease detection is hopefully able to bring even more effective early detection and diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy to those at risk.

If you or someone you know has diabetes please be sure to have regular eye exams as early detection, diagnosis and treatment are the keys to preventing vision loss from diabetes. Schedule a diabetic eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C. in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google+ or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyeandcataractcenter.

Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C. are leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.

Weight Loss Surgery & Eye Pressure (IOP)

Did you know that an indirect benefit of weight loss surgery turns out to be a lowering of eye pressure, or IOP in patients with ocular hypertension? According to a study reported in Acta Ophthalmologica patients who had bariatric or weight loss surgery and successfully reduced their weight by a significant amount demonstrated a marked IOP reduction. Thus, the researchers believe that significant weight loss could have beneficial effects on IOP in obese individuals with ocular hypertension which might them to avoid having to use glaucoma eye drops.

If you or someone you know is contemplating bariatric weight loss surgery and has a high eye pressure they should be aware and schedule an eye exam with glaucoma testing. Schedule an eye exam at Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C. in Birmingham at 205-930-0930, visit Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, Google+ or www.facebook.com/alabamaeyeandcataractcenter.

Michelson Laser Vision, Inc. and Alabama Eye & Cataract Center, P.C. are leading eye care centers in Birmingham located at UAB-Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue S, Suite 501, Birmingham, Alabama 35205 and staffed by UAB Medicine eye doctors and eye specialists.