How to Relieve Eye Pressure
Whether or not increased eye pressure is due to ocular hypertension, glaucoma or another disease, the paramount consideration is to reduce the pressure to a normal level to protect the optic nerve from becoming damaged. There are medications that reduce eye pressure, but there are also dietary changes and exercises you can add to your daily routine that will alleviate and maintain a more normal pressure.
Medications
- Some prescriptions reduce the amount of aqueous fluid produced in the eye.
- Other prescription medications work to increase the eyes’ ability to drain the excessive aqueous fluid produced.
- Oral carbonic anhydrase inhibitors are used to reduce pressure in the eyes. When taking these be sure to consume a potassium rich diet, including bananas and apple juice daily, as this medication leads to potassium loss.
- Your opthmologist may prescribe one or more of these in droplet or topical cream form.
- Some patients may undergo laser surgery to increase the size of the hole in the duct that drains fluids, which can lower eye pressure readings significantly.
Exercises
- Isokinetics – Not to be confused with isometric, which could increase the eye pressures. Isokinetics such as riding a stationary bicycle at a controlled rate of speed, briskly walking at a controlled speed for at least 20 minutes every other day, and simple squats can be extremely helpful.
- Aerobics - Jazzercise and water aerobics, yoga and tai chi classes that can be found in nearly any local town are aerobics classes you can participate in and should be started. However, if you do yoga or tai chi, be sure not to do any head-down exercises as these can increase eye pressure. These have been proven to lower intraocular pressure, helping the blood flow to both the retina and optic nerve, according to the University of Illinois Eye and Eye Infirmary.
- Eye Movements –
- Figure Eights - Keeping your head still, use your eyes to draw figure eights in the air in front of you, first doing ten in one direction and the same in the other direction. This enhances the flexibility of your eye muscles and relaxes them. Repeat three times initially and increase as your muscles get used to the exercise.
- Framing - Hold your finger in front of you at about one foot in your line of sight and focus on the finger. Then find another object in your line of sight that is farther away, such as 10 to 25 feet away from you. Alternate your focus back and forth for up to 3 breaths for each from the closest to farthest object. You will notice when you focus on the nearest object, it will be framed by 2 of the farthest object. When focused on the farther object it will be framed by 2 of the nearer object.
Dietary Changes
- Be sure to hydrate well, but regulate your intake so that you drink no more than 8 oz of water per hour. Too much water at once can elevate eye pressure.
- Lower the amount of caffeine you consume daily if not removing it entirely.
- There are foods that can help to reduce ocular pressures, such as foods heavy with Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamin C rich foods such as broccoli, citrus and red berries, leafy green vegetables, antioxidants rich foods such as avocados, bell peppers, the fruit camu-camu, and egg whites for their chromium.
- There are several herbs that can promote overall eye health and may help to lower your pressures such as bilberry, fennel and chickweed.