Glaucoma often has no symptoms in its early stages and is considered to be a “silent thief” of vision. Do your part to help prevent vision loss due to glaucoma. Take care of your eyes by eating foods packed with vitamin D, such as milk, cheese and dark leafy greens.
Swiss-type Cheese
Eyes are formed in Swiss cheese due to breakdown of lactic acid by Propionibacterium.
High trans fats have been proven to cause damage to the optic nerve. Time to cut out fried foods, baked goods and any product with an ingredient list that includes hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils. Saturated foods that include red meat, beef, lard, shortening and oils can also worsen glaucoma.
Here's the dish: Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and halibut contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which research suggests may help reduce the risk of developing eye disease later in life. Additionally, eating more omega-3s has been shown to decrease glaucoma-related pressure in the eye.
Simple carbohydrates: This includes bread, potatoes, rice, baked goods, pasta, and cereal. These foods can elevate your insulin level, which in turn raises your IOP and blood pressure. This all can worsen glaucoma.
Dairy products
They are rich in Vitamin A and Zinc that will help protect the cornea. Zinc is present throughout the eyes. Such essential minerals can help with the night vision as well as the prevention of cataracts. Dairy has important vitamins and minerals for glaucoma.
Dark Chocolate
Even if your Dove bar doesn't sharpen your vision, the flavonoids found in dark chocolate may help improve vision in people with glaucoma as well as reduce the risk for macular degeneration.
That's the good news from a new UCLA study, which found a daily cup of hot tea may reduce your risk by up to 74 percent of developing glaucoma, one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide.
Eating blueberries regularly can improve vision and strengthen blood vessels in the back of the eyes. Blueberries also contain anthocyanins, which help lower both high blood pressure and inflammation and also prevent blockages in the arteries that feed oxygen to the retina.
Avoid Simple Carbohydrates
Simple carbs are found in many processed foods, which can elevate blood pressure and worsen glaucoma. Avoid items like white potatoes, white rice, pasta, baked goods, white bread, and cereal.
Any type of activity that positions your head lower than your heart for prolonged periods of time should be avoided, as it could lead to a spike in intraocular pressure. This includes inverted yoga positions (and headstands) or using inversion tables.
Maintaining a healthy weight, controlling your blood pressure, being physically active, and avoiding smoking will help you avoid vision loss from glaucoma. These healthy behaviors will also help prevent type 2 diabetes and other chronic conditions.
Choose low-fat milk over whole milk to keep the saturated fat low and prevent plaque buildup in the eyes' blood vessels. Cheese, eggs, and liver are other good animal sources of vitamin A. Lean beef is an excellent source of the mineral zinc that helps the body absorb antioxidants and fight disease.
The most common treatment for glaucoma is prescription eye drops. They work by lowering the pressure in your eye and preventing damage to your optic nerve. These eye drops won't cure glaucoma or reverse vision loss, but they can keep glaucoma from getting worse.
An Apple a Day Keeps Glaucoma at Bay: Dietary Considerations for Glaucoma Patients - Northwest Eye Surgeons.
Particularly, Mg has been shown to improve the ocular blood flow in patients with glaucoma and may protect the retinal ganglion cell against oxidative stress and apoptosis [2, 3, 19].
Many people assume that 'using your eyes' can worsen your glaucoma. Reading, watching TV or using your phone or computer does not have any impact on your glaucoma.
One of the major risk factors is eye pressure. An abnormality in the eye's drainage system can cause fluid to build up, leading to excessive pressure that causes damage to the optic nerve.
Research has shown that regular exercise may lower intraocular pressure (IOP) in glaucoma patients. It does not have to be rigorous exercise to have a beneficial effect, but rather a brisk walk every other day for 20 to 30 minutes.
Have a Banana. Bananas, avocados, pumpkin seeds, and black beans are great sources to help you meet the recommended daily allowance of 300-400 magnesium. Though more research is needed, preliminary studies suggest that dietary magnesium may benefit people with glaucoma by improving blood flow to the eye.
A high BMI has been linked to intraocular pressure and glaucoma. It's best to avoid foods high in saturated fats such as butter, cheese, and whole milk, and such fatty meats as salami and bacon.