Ocular hypertension high pressure in the eye can be caused by an eye condition known as glaucoma. Glaucoma usually results in gradual vision loss and mostly affects people over the age of 40. This condition can be tested for in a doctor’s office by a device that shoots a puff of air in the eye and measures the eye pressure.
Eye pressure, also known as interocular pressure, occurs most often in patients with glaucoma. Left untreated, a buildup of interocular pressure can cause extensive ocular nerve damage. Extreme cases should be treated by a physician, but there are things you can do on your own to minimize the pressure.
Keep Hydrated:
Staying hydrated can help. Drinking small amounts of water throughout the day will help to lower your eye pressure, states the Mayo Clinic. Do not drink a large amount of liquid at one time, however. Drinking a quart or more of fluid during one sitting can lead to your eye pressure actually increasing. If you are 150 pounds or under, drink at least 64ozs of water throughout the day. This equates to five cups of water, states holistic online.com. For every 20 pounds over 150, drink an additional cup.
Lower Your Stress Level:
As your overall blood pressure rises, so does your eye pressure. Keeping your blood pressure at a safe level will be an important natural way to reduce your eye pressure, states the Mayo Clinic and holistic online.com. Stretching throughout the day will help you lower your stress level. Start doing breathing exercises to reduce your stress level. Sit upright in a quiet place. Breathe in and out while concentrating on your abdominal area.
Watch your abdomen expand and contract as you inhale and exhale. Do this for five minutes, states holistic online.com. Achieve to reach a daily goal of doing 15 minutes of breathing exercises. Meditation, yoga, massage, warm baths, pet therapy, music, mind imagery, and biofeedback can also provide stress relief. Eating a well-balanced diet will reduce your eye pressure by preserving your general health.
Lower Your Caffeine Consumption:
Lower the amount of caffeine you consume. Drinking caffeinated coffee can raise your eye pressure, according to the University of Illinois Eye and Eye Infirmary. The level of your eye pressure increase depends upon the amount of caffeine you consume. Green tea contains lower caffeine amounts than does caffeinated coffee. Start drinking more tea: it’s also rich in eye healthy antioxidants known as flavonoids.
Exercise:
Getting your exercise may be a natural way to help reduce eye pressure, states the Mayo Clinic. An isokinetic exercise, such as riding a stationary bike at a controlled rate of speed, has shown dramatic results in lowering interocular pressure. Aerobic exercise lowers interocular pressure and may also improve blood flow to your retina and optic nerve, according to the University of Illinois Eye and Eye Infirmary on agingeye.net. Exercising on a regular basis will help lower your blood pressure, states the American Heart Association.
Start getting 30 minutes of moderately-brisk exercise on at least five days of the week for best results. The type of eye pressure you experience will determine how effective exercise will or will not be. If you have open-angled glaucoma, for instance, exercise will help reduce your eye pressure. In all cases, do not do head-down yoga positions or stretches. These postures are known to increase eye pressure. Avoid isometric exercises, otherwise known as muscle contractions, since these also raise eye pressure.