Glaucoma

Your eyeball has internal pressure called intraocular pressure. Glaucoma is a condition where the intraocular pressure increases. This pressure is similar to high blood pressure in the eye and is known as the hypertension of the eye. Some amount of pressure in the eye is necessary but when this pressure goes beyond the manageable limit, it can result in the loss of vision.

The increase in pressure is due to buildup of fluid in the eye ball. This fluid nurtures the eyes and keeps them healthy. After the circulation of the fluid is complete, it empties through the drain in the eye. But when the drain in the eye is blocked, the fluid cannot empty itself. This causes the buildup of fluid resulting in increased pressure and glaucoma is the end result.

As you age, your risk of suffering from glaucoma increases. But a lot of times, the symptoms of disease are not noticeable and when you finally do, it is very late to prevent the handicap. You are more likely to suffer from this problem if you have a family history where one or more of your family members are afflicted. Hence it becomes very important for you to undergo regular eye examination to rule out the possibility of glaucoma, irrespective of the presence of symptoms. If you detect the problems early, you can prevent damage to the nerves of the cells of the eye and vision loss.

Symptoms of Glaucoma:

• Appearance of halos or coloured rings around the distant objects when viewed at night. Iris is pushed forward.
• Constant pain in the brow area near temples and cheeks
• Frequent headaches
• Gradual deterioration of vision as the disease progresses, finally leading to blindness

Causes of Glaucoma:

• Severe eyestrain or working under bad light for long time as per medical science
• Increased toxicity due to wrong eating habits, faulty life style and use of suppressive drugs for the long period with eyestrain just adding to the problem
• Prolonged stress which results due to adrenal exhaustion. Your adrenal glands lose their ability to produce aldosterone and excessive salt is lost from the body and the accumulation of the fluid in the tissues. In eyes, this results in the hardening of the eyeball; it loses its softness and resilience.
• Giddiness
• Sinus conditions
• Allergies
• Diabetes
• Hypoglycemia
• Arteriosclerosis
• Imbalance of the autonomic nervous system

Natural Treatment for Glaucoma :

Doctors will normally recommend surgery to relieve the internal pressure. But this does not remove the cause of the excess fluid. Hence the operation does not guarantee that the trouble does not recur or will not affect the other eye. Go for the natural treatment of the glaucoma, which is the same as that for any other condition arising from toxicity and is targeted toward preserving the remaining sight. You cannot cure glaucoma in the advanced stages but proper nutrition and other natural methods can control the problem and taking care of the remaining sight.

If you are suffering from glaucoma, avoid certain foodstuffs. Coffee is the main food to avoid due to its high caffeine content. Excess caffeine stimulates the vasoconstrictors, elevates blood pressure and increases the blood supply to the eye. Beer and tobacco can cause constriction of the blood vessels and hence should be avoided. Drink moderate amount of tea. Do not take excess fluids like juice, milk or water. Instead have small amounts many times with a gap of one hour.

Your diet should be mainly of seeds, nuts and grains, vegetables and fruits. Eat plenty of vitamin C-rich foods, fresh fruits and vegetables. Your breakfast should consist of oranges or grapes or any other juicy fruits of the season and a small amount of nuts or seeds. Take raw vegetable salad with olive oil and lemon juice dressing, two or three whole wheat chappatis and a glass of buttermilk for lunch. Steamed vegetables, butter and cottage cheese should form your dinner.

Consuming certain nutrients will help your condition tremendously. Generally, people with deficiencies of vitamin A, B, C, protein, calcium and other minerals have a higher risk of suffering from glaucoma. Calcium and B-complex relieve the intraocular pressure. Including vitamin C will also reduce this pressure. Taking 7000 mg of ascorbic acid five times a day brought down the pressure within the acceptable limits. Take some calcium along with it to minimize the side effects of the large dose like mild stomach discomfort and diarrhea.

Relax and strengthen your eyes by doing variety of eye and neck exercises. Avoid emotional stress and develop a peaceful and relaxed lifestyle. Do not strain the eyes for the long time like watching television, movies or reading. Do not use sunglasses.