Use these 7 natural remedies for glaucoma consistently to reduce eye pressure and keep your eyes healthy overall.
What is Glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that cause damage to the optic nerve and leads to vision loss.
It results when the fluid produced in the eye cannot drain properly but instead builds up and puts pressure on the optic nerve, retina and lens.
There are three types of glaucoma including open angle glaucoma, closed angle glaucoma and normal tension glaucoma.
The most common type is open-angle glaucoma, which develops gradually and is painless.
Closed angle glaucoma can come suddenly or gradually. If it presents suddenly, there is severe eye pain, nausea, eye redness, mid-dilated pupils and blurred vision.
After macular degeneration, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the USA. The risk factors and causes include: high blood pressure, genetics, increased pressure in the eye, accumulation of wastes and toxins in the body, macular degeneration, eye disorders, certain medications such as corticosteroids, antidepressants and blood pressure medication.
Treatment and diagnosis should be sought immediately if one is experiencing sigs and symptoms of glaucoma such as nausea/vomiting, severe eye pain, blurred vision and redness of the eye.
Since the most common form of glaucoma which affects 90% of the US population is painless and lacks clear signs and symptoms, regular eye checkups are essential for elderly individuals and those with myopia.
Top 7 Natural Remedies for Glaucoma
Please ensure to consult a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma. The natural remedies below can be used in conjunction with conventional medicine to lower eye pressure and prevent it from rising:
1. Foods to Eat for Glaucoma
Eat foods rich in antioxidants and those good for eye health regularly to inject much-needed nutrients into your body. Foods good for eye health include:
- Cold water fish like salmon, sardines, mackerel etc.
- Green leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, leafy greens, broccoli, etc
- Yellow or orange fruits and vegetables such as sweet potato, carrots, papaya, etc
These foods contain nutrients such as lutein, omega 3 fatty acids, zeaxanthin, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and others.
Foods rich in antioxidants include:
- Amla or Indian gooseberry powder
- Blueberries
- Dried Baobab fruit powder
- Raspberries
- Cinnamon
Other foods to include in your diet to fight glaucoma include brewer’s yeast, kelp and sesame oil which are rich in chromium, another nutrient effective for treating and preventing glaucoma.
You can also do juicing to improve your vision and eye health: 3 Juicing Recipes for Eye Health
Also Read: List of 10 Good Foods for Eye Health
2. Foods to Avoid Eating for Glaucoma
You should avoid eating certain foods to prevent glaucoma and reduce eye pressure. These include foods high in sugar as excess sugar can cause premature ageing of the eyes, diabetes and glaucoma.
Steer clear of alcohol consumption as well because it leads to liver toxicity which in turn causes eye problems including glaucoma.
Caffeine should also be avoided as it reduces blood flow to the eye.
3. Natural Supplements to Take for Glaucoma
There are many natural supplements to take for glaucoma. Check them out below:
- Bilberry – The recommended amount of bilberry to consume is 160mg twice daily. Bilberry contains a key bioactive compound known as anthocyanins that improve vision. It is also rich in flavonoids that supports eye structure and function while improving blood flow to the eyes. Take bilberry extract to help heal a damaged retina, optic nerve, cataracts, macular degeneration and glaucoma.
- Fish Oil – Fish oil is very rich in omega 3 fatty acids that keep eye tissue healthy. Take 1000mg of fish oil daily to significantly reduce eye pressure.
- Alpha Lipoic Acid – It is recommended to take 100mg of alpha lipoic acid two times daily. Alpha lipoic acid is a strong antioxidant that has been shown to lower eye pressure and treat glaucoma naturally. It also fights free radical damage that causes macular degeneration and age-related eye problems.
- Chromium – Take 250-500 mcg of chromium twice daily. As seen in point one above, chromium rich foods help regulate eye pressure. You can also take chromium supplements which also help balance blood sugar that can worsen glaucoma.
- Magnesium – Magnesium is useful for relaxing blood vessels and improving blood circulation in the eyes. You can take 2500mg of magnesium daily. But did you know that magnesium is best absorbed when used externally? Buy this magnesium oil spray to apply on your arms, stomach and soles of the feet to absorb magnesium into your body more efficiently!
4. Exercise
Working out is a great way to remove accumulated toxins and wastes from the body through sweat and proper bowel movement. It also helps in proper movement of toxins in the lymphatic system. You can do yoga, walk daily for 30 minutes, jog on the treadmill and aerobic exercises that promote blood flow and enable you to sweat. Exercise also improves and balances ocular pressure.
5. Essential Oils for Glaucoma
Aromatherapy can be very useful for glaucoma! They improve blood circulation to the eyes, reduce stress and help reduce eye pressure.
Essential oils are potent extracts squeezed out of aromatic plant material.
They are very concentrated so use them very cautiously. As a rule of thumb, mix 2-3 drops of essential oil in 1 tsp of any vegetable oil before application. The essential oils useful for glaucoma include:
To use essential oils for glaucoma, mix 2-3 drops of it into 1 tsp of vegetable oil then apply it on the forehead. DO NOT put it inside your eyes!
6. Massage, Palming & Acupressure
Massage, acupressure and acupuncture are good ways to remove blockages in nerves connecting to the eyes. They also help relax the eyes, reduce eye strain and promote blood flow. Softly press circles on your forehead, around your eyes and shoulders and neck to refresh your eyes.
Palming is another technique to rest your eyes, relieve eye pain and reduce eye strain. To do it, rub both your palms together until warm then place them over your closed eyes, with one palm over the other. Take deep breaths and stay in this position for 20-30 minutes. You can even palm for one hour!
7. Homeopathy for Glaucoma
Another natural remedy for glaucoma is homeopathy. If you’re a homeopathy enthusiast, then you can try it out for glaucoma. Taking homeopathy medicine has no side effects. It is also said to help solve the root cause of the problem.
Other Tips to Prevent & Treat Glaucoma
- Avoid eye strain by limiting screen time. If you have a job that requires you to stare at the computer screen for most of the day then use this strategy to rest your eyes: look away at a 20m distance for 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
- Stop using the phone/laptop in the dark. Most of us are fond of turning off the lights, getting comfy in bed then reaching for the phone and checking social media or whatever. We say we shall only check this one thing out then try to go to sleep but time just flies and boom! You’ve been on the phone in the dark for 20 minutes and your eyes feel dry, tired and painful.
- One of the biggest health tips we hear everyday is drink a lot of water (8 glasses) every day. However, this is a big no-no for people with glaucoma, who are instead advised to drink small amounts of water throughout the day. Studies have shown that 80% of people with glaucoma who drink a quart of water over a period of 20 minutes experience elevated internal ocular pressure!
Take Care
- Please consult with your ophthalmologist before taking any herbal supplements for glaucoma.
- Also, don’t forget to regularly have eye checkups to monitor your eye pressure and to know how your eyes are doing.
Please! non of these things will help with Glaucoma! None of them will prevent damage to the optical nerve of help drain the excess liquid! While eating a balanced diet with low sugars and all the proper nutrients will prevent a variety of illness (and some cases of diabetes), glaucoma is NOT one of them. Having said, sufficient amounts of Vitamin 12 and omega-3 fatty acids is fundamental for the protection and health of ALL the nervous system, including optical nerves. But they have no direct correlation with glaucoma. And aromatherapy CERTAINLY will have no effect on glaucoma!.
Hi Lila, I understand where you are coming from. But many people including me use aroma therapy for the eyes and headaches, etc. We feel better using aroma therapy so to each their own. Many people find stress relief with aromatherapy and that keeps them healthier and happier.
Thank you for standing up for aromatherapy! There is power in plants and the denial of it is ridiculous at best.
I understand what you’re saying & I did many of these things to avoid using glaucoma prescription eyedrops. They did not work (in total) for me. My glaucoma is heavily hereditary & I now take drops but I believe all these tips will keep it from progressing faster. New to me was not guzzling water! No one ever told me that. Makes sense! Thanks to article writer for compiling all these great ideas in one place!
hello, i read you are using eye drops , have you read about side effect if this eye drops, i still not using this eye drops yet, i am going ti try the home remedy. How long you been using this probably because iam a 72 years old lady it may be different but i will try the home remedies.
Can you please explain more about guzzling water??
Utter rubbish. Natural remedies are always best for health. They DO work. Your comment is utterly irresponsible.
Simone,
Proud of you!
Have been doing holistic medicine for over 50 years, following all the food based changes as they evolved.
Started Raw Foods in US, learning for sites in Sweden and Australia, 15 years ago. Then onto Plant Based, Superfoods, Powerful Herbals, Adaptogens,
And Chinese Food Therapy.
So many healing plants that heal our mind, body, and soul.
Keep doing what you are, never cease to continually moving forward.
Your glaucoma information helped to take me into areas I hadn’t needed before. A reminder that, “Everyday Has Something New To Learn”, no matter how much knowledge you have!
Thank you so much
Sandra
PS- will check you out on Facebook over the weekend
Hi Sandra, thank you for your kind words!
Also never underestimate the curative power of homeopathy..it also has no side effects..its not an instant cure but over several mos it does work
Hello Simone,
thank you for your glaucoma information !
For me is the eyewash with the Eyebright Formula and the exercises from Austin Goh verry helpful .
The Eyebright burns but it’s worth it.
Regards,
Mario
Which eyebright formula do you use? I am looking for help with my son’s glaucoma. And how do you take it? Thank you.
I have just been newly diagnosed with glaucoma. Whilst I am suprised, it did not come as a complte shock, since it is hereditary. My Father and grandad had the same.
I am looking forward to leaern as much as I can from your helpful tips. Thanks ans keep it up.
Regards.
Dumazi