Glaucoma is a disease that occurs when you have a high eye pressure that damages your optic nerve. The optic nerve sends visual information to the brain and if eye pressure damages these nerve fibers, you could begin to lose your side vision. If detected early, treatment options may help prevent vision loss. Preventing glaucoma will provide the best method of protecting your vision from glaucoma damage. Nutritional intake may offer one way to prevent glaucoma from occurring.
Risk Factors
Certain hereditary factors may increase your risk for having glaucoma. You may have an increased risk for glaucoma if you have a family history of glaucoma or if you are black, Hispanic or Asian. If your health care provider diagnosed you with diabetes or thyroid disease, you have a greater risk for glaucoma. Also, if you've had an eye injury or other eye conditions, such as retinal detachments or a tumor, you may have an increased risk for glaucoma, states MayoClinic.com.
Prevention
As of 2010, researchers cannot say that proper nutritional intake will prevent glaucoma, explains National Glaucoma Research. Despite this, selecting nutritious foods and making lifestyle changes, as well as going for regular eye examinations, may help protect the health of your eyes from conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration and cataracts.
Dietary Intake
Vitamins A, E and C, as well as zinc, lutein and zeaxanthin, help protect your eyes. A diet rich in these nutrients may protect the health of your eyes, explains the Glaucoma Research Foundation website. Eating a healthful diet, full of variety and color will often provide the nutrition you need to protect your eyes. For vitamin A, you can choose foods like carrots, broccoli, cantaloupe and papaya. Citrus fruit, berries, peppers and cauliflower contain vitamin C; dark green leafy vegetables, meats, avocados and nuts contain vitamin E. You will find zinc in foods such as green leafy vegetables, lean meats and soybeans; lutein and zeaxanthin can be found in foods like spinach, collard greens, pumpkin and cucumbers.
Lifestyle Changes
Physical activity may help reduce your risk for glaucoma. If you do not lead an active lifestyle, start slowly. Take a walk after dinner or play catch with your child. Under your health care provider's guidance, gradually increase the intensity and amount of time you spend exercising. This will help you achieve a healthy weight and aid in blood pressure control, both of which may help you prevent glaucoma.
Caffeine may result in increased eye pressure. Drink more water instead of coffee, tea and soda to help reduce your risk of glaucoma.
Considerations
Glaucoma does not typically cause symptoms. Vision damage occurs slowly, often taking many years until you notice missing areas of your side vision. Acute glaucoma will come on suddenly, resulting in intense pain, nausea and vomiting. In order to prevent permanent vision loss, you should seek medical attention immediately. If your eye doctor diagnosed you with glaucoma and prescribed eye drops, you should continue to use those drops to reduce your eye pressure. This will help slow down damage to your optic nerve and vision.
