Glaucoma

Glaucoma is one of the two most common causes of blindness in the United States, second only to cataracts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid pressure inside the eyeball, which can damage or completely destroy the retina and optic nerve. This first leads to a loss of peripheral vision, and then gradual blindness. Symptoms are usually gradual and progress slowly. These include:

• Narrowing of peripheral vision
• Headaches
• Tunnel vision
• Sensation of seeing halos around lights
• Difficulty adapting to darkness
• Swollen eyelids
• Nausea and vomiting
• General vision loss

Open  angle glaucoma is the most common type. In this type, the fluid produced each day by the eye is slow to drain off. This causes a buildup of the drainage channels in the eye itself. Close d angle glaucoma is usually caused by a rapid buildup of fluid pressure, causing the eyeballs to feel hard to the touch.

What Causes Glaucoma?

Glaucoma can be a result of various influences, including:

• Aging and premature aging
• Accumulation of debris and waste products in the eye drainage channels
• Allergies
• Eye injuries and tumors
• Nutritional deficiencies
• High blood pressure, diabetes, and macular degeneration
• Use of pharmaceutical drugs such as antidepressants, antihistamines, blood pressure medication, diuretics, steroids, and tetracycline

Treatments for Glaucoma

Eat plenty of antioxidant rich foods, including bell peppers, carrots, parsley, spinach, tomatoes, dark green leafy vegetables, purple berries, mangos, melons, and citrus fruit. Organic egg yolks are also recommended because they are rich in carotenoids. Avoid all processed and fried foods, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol.

Eye exercises can help reduce tension in the eye area and face. You may also want to avoid eyestrain from watching too much TV or sitting for extended periods in front of the computer. Use sunglasses with polarized lenses.

Nutritional supplements to add to your diet include vitamin A, vitamin B complex, vitamin C, vitamin E, alpha lipoic acid, beta carotene, chromium, lutien, magnesium, N­acetyl cysteine (NAC), riboflavin and taurine.

Other Considerations

Some alternative therapies that can help with glaucoma include acupuncture and craniosacral work.