Living with Glaucoma: Treatment Options and Lifestyle Changes

Glaucoma is a significant cause of vision loss in the United States. It’s a condition that harms your optic nerve, usually because of high pressure inside your eye (IOP). If it’s not treated, it can lead to vision loss. While there’s no cure for Glaucoma, treatments, and lifestyle changes can sometimes help manage the condition and slow its progression. It’s super important for glaucoma patients to understand the different treatment options and how lifestyle habits can affect the risk and progression of the disease. So let’s discuss today: living with glaucoma, treatment options, and lifestyle changes.

What You Need to Know About Glaucoma

Before we delve into the treatments and lifestyle habits that can help you manage Glaucoma, let’s first understand the condition. Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, which connects your eyes to your brain and is crucial for vision. Understanding this condition is the first step to taking control of your eye health.

The most common form of Glaucoma, primary open-angle Glaucoma, is a gradual and painless loss of peripheral vision, often going unnoticed until the condition is quite advanced. On the other hand, normal tension glaucoma occurs when optic nerve damage occurs even when intraocular pressure is within normal limits.

While increased IOP is generally the primary culprit in glaucoma development, other factors, such as blood flow to the optic nerve, blood pressure, and underlying conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and diabetes mellitus, can also play a role. Understanding and managing these factors can help reduce the risk of worsening Glaucoma.

Most Common Treatment Options for Glaucoma?

Glaucoma treatments lower IOP and protect the optic nerve from further damage. Here are some of the most common approaches.

Prescription Eye Drops

For many glaucoma patients, eye drops are the first line of defense — these medications improve fluid drainage or decrease fluid production in the eye, known as “aqueous humor,” which lowers IOP. Some of the most common eye drops prescribed by eye doctors include:

Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
Prostaglandin analogs
Beta-blockers
Alpha agonists

Yes, eye drops are effective, but they require consistent use, and some glaucoma patients experience side effects such as changes in eye color, stinging, and redness.

Oral Medications

If eye drops aren’t enough to lower IOP, doctors, and eye specialists may prescribe oral medications. These drugs, generally carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, work similarly to eye drops by reducing fluid production. However, oral medicines may have more systemic side effects, affecting the whole body, like tingling in the fingers and toes, frequent urination, and, in some cases, digestive issues or fatigue.

Surgical Procedures

For advanced Glaucoma or cases where other treatments have failed, surgery may be necessary. But make sure you are getting surgery from an experienced and expert eye surgeon. Surgical options include:

Minimally invasive glaucoma surgery (MIGS)
Trabeculectomy
Glaucoma drainage devices

Glaucoma surgery isn’t a cure for Glaucoma, but it can help manage IOP when other treatments fail.

Laser Therapy

Laser therapy is commonly used for primary open-angle Glaucoma and other forms where fluid drainage is the main problem. A standard and popular procedure called “Selective Laser Trabeculoplasty” or SLT can help improve fluid outflow from your eye. This eye treatment involves using a laser to target the drainage angle, which can enhance the way fluid drains. Laser therapy is generally done on an outpatient basis and is typically an excellent option for those who don’t respond well to medication or eye drops.

Lifestyle Changes to Manage Glaucoma

Now, let’s explore how to manage Glaucoma through lifestyle changes. Alongside medical treatments, certain lifestyle habits can also play a significant role in managing Glaucoma and slowing its progression. While you can’t control every factor (like genetics or your age), there are modifiable risks that you can change or influence that you can address to help maintain good eye health. This proactive approach can bring hope and optimism to your journey with Glaucoma.

Exercise Regularly

Regular physical activity is good for your health and can also help reduce IOP if you are a glaucoma patient. Playing sports, going to the gym, or running can help. However, specific exercises involving straining, such as head-down yoga and weightlifting, may increase eye pressure. Aim for cardiovascular activities like swimming, walking, and cycling to improve blood flow and help manage IOP without the risk of increasing pressure.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Being obese or overweight is directly linked to an increased risk of Glaucoma. High body mass index (BMI) affects the flow of blood in your body and increases IOP. Losing excess weight can contribute to a decreased risk of glaucoma progression. Focusing on a balanced diet and regular exercise is wise to maintain a healthy BMI and lower your glaucoma risk.

Manage Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Sleep disorders like severe obstructive sleep apnea are also associated with higher rates of Glaucoma. OSA can reduce oxygen levels during sleep, leading to poor blood flow to the optic nerve and worsening Glaucoma. If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, getting proper treatment, like a CPAP machine, can improve your eye health and sleep quality.

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Maintain a Healthy Blood Pressure

There’s a strong connection between intraocular pressure and your blood pressure. High and low blood pressure can negatively affect blood flow to the optic nerve, exacerbating Glaucoma.

Keeping your blood pressure in a controlled and healthy range, whether through medication, diet, or exercise, is a game changer in preventing the worsening of Glaucoma. If you are a high blood pressure patient, work with your doctor to manage it, especially if you take glaucoma medicines or eye drops. If you are in or near Fargo, North Dakota, and need Glaucoma treatment, call Bagan Strinden Vision!

How Nutrition & Diet Affect Glaucoma?

While diet won’t cure Glaucoma, certain foods can promote eye health and help manage the condition. Nutrients, on the other hand, support good blood flow and reduce inflammation, which are particularly beneficial.

Foods rich in antioxidants, such as nuts, leafy greens, berries
Omega-3 fatty acids (present in fish like salmon or tuna).
Hydration (dehydration can increase eye pressure).

Glaucoma Compared: How does it differ from other eye conditions?

Glaucoma is often confused with other eye conditions, such as cataracts or ocular hypertension, but they’re not the same. Ocular hypertension involves elevated IOP without optic nerve damage, while Glaucoma directly affects your eye’s optic nerve and can lead to vision loss. Understanding these differences is crucial for your journey with Glaucoma, and knowledge can make a significant difference in your eye health.
Ocular hypertension involves elevated IOP without optic nerve damage.
Glaucoma directly affects your eye’s optic nerve and can lead to vision loss.
Understanding the difference between these conditions is essential for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Final Thoughts: Living with Glaucoma

Living with Glaucoma might mean making some changes in your lifestyle and changing habits. With the proper lifestyle adjustments, you can manage it well. By focusing on things you can control, like managing diabetes, staying at a healthy weight, keeping your blood pressure in check, and dealing with sleep apnea, you can take care of your eyes and slow down the progress of Glaucoma.

Taking your medication as directed, getting regular eye check-ups, and living healthy are your best ways to fight Glaucoma. So, whether you already have Glaucoma or are at risk of getting it, don’t wait to make these changes. They can help protect your vision for a long time.

Bagan Strinden Vision: Your Trusted Eye Care Partner

Contact Bagan Strinden Vision today for all your eye care needs. We offer glaucoma, general eye care, eyelid procedures, laser eye surgery, and cataract surgery. With over 25 years of experience, we’ve helped over 30,000 people with cataracts and 15,000 with LASIK surgeries. Don’t hesitate to contact us today for top-notch assistance.