The inside, front chamber of your eye holds a fluid called aqueous. Your eye constantly produces aqueous, sending the fluid into this front chamber as the older aqueous filters out. If you have an imbalance in the rate the aqueous enters and leaves your eye, this will increase your eye pressure. High pressures could damage your eye, resulting in glaucoma. Knowing if herbs such as wild lettuce may affect your pressure will help you reduce your risks of additional damage.
Wild Lettuce
Wild lettuce, also known as opium lettuce, has native roots in parts of Europe and Asia, but this plant now commonly grows throughout the United States and other parts of the world as well. Historically, people used wild lettuce as a pain killer, but the components of the plant also produce a sedative effect, which led to the alternate name of opium lettuce. Users of alternative medicine and herbal supplements may use wild lettuce for conditions such as insomnia, coughs, anxiety and digestion.
Effects
No known connection exists between wild lettuce and eye pressure. As with any supplement or herb, however, you may react differently to wild lettuce. If you plan to use this herb for any reason, talk with your doctor about monitoring your eye pressure. Your doctor may take a baseline eye pressure reading prior to you using wild lettuce. After you use the herb for a period of time, she will then test your pressure again and compare the numbers. If you have a higher reading, this could indicate that you have a reaction to the herb, and your doctor may recommend that you discontinue use. A stable pressure reading may show that the herb does not affect your eye pressure, but your doctor will most likely continue to monitor your pressures frequently while you use the supplement.
Control
If you have glaucoma, you must work closely with your eye doctor to keep your eye pressures under good control. Uncontrolled pressures or prolonged periods of high eye pressures can damage your optic nerve. This does not cause immediate symptoms, but this gradual damage will ultimately result in permanent loss of side vision. In severe cases, glaucoma can lead to complete blindness.
Considerations
This herb does not have a known effect on eye pressure, but if you have glaucoma or another medical condition, talk to your doctor before you begin using any form of this plant. You may have other health conditions or take medications that could interact with wild lettuce, and your doctor can help you determine if you have a risk for these or other complications.
