Glaucoma prevention is important in maintaining eye health. Prevention often begins with understanding risk factors in addition to glaucoma symptoms. Being able to detect glaucoma early on can potentially help avoid irreversible damage to your eye health. Given this, here are a few things you should know about glaucoma and its predisposing factors.
Glaucoma Prevention | How to Avoid Glaucoma and Maintain Eye Health
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1. Risk Factors for Open-Angle Glaucoma
There are different risk factors when it comes to the varying types of glaucoma. It is important to pay attention to those of open-angle glaucoma because this does not involve many symptoms to help with early detection. Given this, here are a few key characteristics that can state an increased risk of developing open-angle glaucoma:
- High eye pressure
- Family history
- 40 and older and of African-American heritage
- 60 and older if you are of Mexican-American heritage
- Cornea is thin in comparison to others’
- Cup at the center of the optic nerve is larger than normal
- Nearsightedness
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure
- Previous eye injury
2. Risk Factors for Angle-Closure Glaucoma
Angle-Closure Glaucoma has more overt symptoms. These symptoms include headaches, eye pain, nausea, as well as seeing rainbows around light sources at night. Given this, here are the different risk factors for angle-closure glaucoma:
- Older age
- Of Asian heritage
- Family history
- Far-sightedness
3. Risk Factors for Normal-Tension Glaucoma
It is also important to understand the risk factors that can indicate a predisposition to developing a condition such as normal-tension glaucoma. Given this, the following characteristics are regarded as risk factors for this type of glaucoma:
- Cardiovascular disease
- Family history
- Low eye pressure
- Of Japanese heritage
4. Exercise Regularly
Improving eye health requires you to pay attention to the improvement of your overall health. Given this, one of the best things you can do for your health is to exercise to prevent glaucoma. It is important to squeeze in as much physical activity as you can into your daily routine. It is also necessary to maintain a balance between strength training and cardiovascular exercise when constructing your workout regimen.
5. Get More Sleep
Sleep is definitely important in maintaining the various cycles involved in keeping up the functioning of your body. That being said, it is important to ensure you get a sufficient amount of sleep each day. Doctors advise maintaining a sleeping habit of 7-9 hours per night in order to ensure good health.
6. Eat More Greens
Dark and leafy greens are key to maintaining good health. It is an important step in maintaining eye health. Given this, eating dark and leafy greens would ensure you get enough carotenoids in your system to keep the eye functioning.
7. Consume More Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Vitamin C
Vitamin C is necessary when it comes to ensuring your body is able to heal effectively. This helps with the healing process of the skin, which often involves collagen formation. These foods are also crucial in a glaucoma prevention diet. Examples of vitamin C-rich fruits and vegetables are the following:
- Green peppers
- Citrus fruits
- Tomatoes
- Broccoli
- Strawberries
- Cantaloupes
8. Consume More Vitamin E-Rich Foods
Vitamin E is another micronutrient many consider to be important when it comes to avoiding the development of conditions such as glaucoma. Given this, here are a few examples of foods rich in vitamin E:
- Eggs
- Fortified cereals
- Fruit
- Wheat germ
- Green leafy vegetables
- Nuts
- Nut oils/ vegetable oils
- Whole grains
9. Add More Vitamin A to Your Diet
Vitamin A is another micronutrient necessary when it comes to maintaining good eye health. Given this, here are a few examples of vitamin A-rich foods to add to your diet:
- Liver
- Sweet potatoes
- Carrots
- Mangoes
- Milk
- Egg yolks
10. Maintain a Healthy Dose of Vitamin D
Getting enough vitamin D can be difficult for people who live in an area that doesn’t get much sun. The good news is the following are different foods that can potentially help boost the amount of vitamin D present in the body:
- Cod liver oil
- Oily fish
- Fortified milk
- Cereal
- Egg yolk
In addition to eating vitamin D-rich foods, it is also important to get regular exposure to the sun. While doing this, you should also ensure you are keeping yourself protected by wearing sunscreen and limiting the time you spend under the sun.
11. Take Care of Your Eyes!
Lastly, it is important to take care of your eyes when engaging in glaucoma prevention. You can do this by wearing hats and sunglasses when you are out in the sun. If you are wearing prescription eyeglasses, consider using lenses that have a protective coating to prevent harmful UV frequencies from being absorbed into your eyes.
For more glaucoma prevention tips, watch this video by the Doctor’s Circle:
Engaging in glaucoma prevention is especially important when you are predisposed to developing the condition. Glaucoma does not always have overt symptoms, which makes it difficult to succeed at early detection. Given this, it is important to make regular trips to your eye doctor in addition to being aware of the various risk factors.
Did we miss any other glaucoma prevention tips? Let us know in the comments below!