Natural treatments and cures are the “in” thing today, and with good reason. Medications have too many side effects and are expensive even with insurance.  So, a natural treatment that really works is good news.

Glaucoma is a disease of the eye that can lead to blindness. Over two million Americans have glaucoma. Most people think the treatment for glaucoma ranges from topical medications to eye surgery.

The most common treatment is eye drops that reduce fluid formation in the eye and promote increased outflow. They have major side effects however, such as low blood pressure, asthmatic wheezing, bronchial cough, light-headedness and fatigue.  Nobody wants side effects like these so it makes sense to seek natural treatments and cures.

The good news is that there are natural remedies for this condition. They can help reduce elevated eye pressure and in some cases, return it to normal. So, if you have glaucoma or are at risk for developing it, these natural remedies are for you.

Vitamin A,B,C, E And Glaucoma

Research has shown that improved nutrition is a much better cure than drugs for glaucoma. A study was done on a group of patients in which they were given large doses of Vitamin A, B, C, and E as well as additional amounts of protein.  Most of these patients saw their eye pressure returned to normal limits within a week.  This study was done in Nigeria, but vitamin and mineral deficiencies are prevalent in the U.S. also.

Vitamin C doses used in the treatment of glaucoma vary from person to person. Some patients respond to 1,000 mg per day, while others require larger doses. However, because individual tolerance varies, the total daily intake should not exceed 3,000 mg per day unless directed by a physician.

People with elevated eye pressure have been found to be deficient in chromium, zinc and the B vitamins, especially thiamine.  Foods high in these nutrients as well as a good supplement, is in order for people at risk for developing glaucoma, or those who already have it.

Vitamin E is found in good quality oils and is another vitamin that has been shown to improve the amount of pressure in the eye.

Vitamin A is of course, the one your mother told you about when she said, “eat your carrots, they’re good for your eyes.”  Yellow and orange fruits and vegetables contain beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in your body. This is one of the best vitamins for eye health.

Rutin, available in supplement form in health food stores, has been shown to normalize collagen metabolism and normalizing eye tissue.  This is helpful in the treatment of glaucoma.

High Quality Supplements To Prevent Glaucoma

So, it seems that nutrition plays a very important part in the natural treatment and cure of glaucoma.  We all try to eat a balanced diet, but even the best of us don’t always eat right. Our busy lives and convenience foods do us in. The best defense for this problem is a great supplement. Make sure any supplement you buy contains all the nutrients mentioned above in the right quantities. You may have to take additional supplements in some vitamins to get the right amount.

The prescription for natural treatment of glaucoma is daily doses of: Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Chromium, Zinc, fish oil, and Rutin.  This is over and above a good daily supplement. As always, check with your health care professional before undertaking above normal doses of supplements.

Start practicing good nutrition habits early in life and you may never have to worry about treating glaucoma.

If you already have glaucoma, then you know the symptoms.  If not, then this article will make you aware of what to look for. It will also show you how to prevent glaucoma from occurring at all.

Open-angle Glaucoma

There are many types of glaucoma, but the two most common types are open-angle glaucoma and closed-angle glaucoma.  Ninety percent of the people who are diagnosed with glaucoma have the open-angle type.

Some of the symptoms of this type are tiny blind spots that appear in our side or peripheral vision that get larger. You start with a little blind spot and end up with no peripheral vision.

Blurred vision is another symptom. The elevated pressure of the fluid in the eye causes the visual changes that accompany blurred vision.

The appearance of colored halos around lights is slight and confusing at first. As it grows, the halos become more pronounced and you can’t ignore it anymore, or pass it off as tired eyes. Some people think the day is just hazy and that’s why they see the halos.

When we enter a dark room, it takes a few seconds for our eyes to adjust. A person with glaucoma has trouble adjusting to the change from light to dark and may not be able to see at all in a dark room. None of us see as well in the dark as we do in daylight but we should be able to make out objects after a few seconds.

Some people chalk it up to needing new glasses. No matter how many times they change their prescriptions, their eye problems persist. Although they shouldn’t have to keep changing their eyeglasses because routine eye exams should include a check for glaucoma.

Closed-angle Glaucoma

Closed-angle glaucoma is more serious.  It accounts for only about nine percent of the people with glaucoma.  It occurs when the opening between the cornea and iris narrows and the fluid cannot get to the normal drainage channels.  It results in fluid build-up and intraocular pressure and it happens very quickly.

Some of the symptoms are severely blurred vision. This occurs because the fluid builds up so fast.

It can also be accompanied by severe eye and head pain because of the intense pressure of the fluid build-up.

Nausea and vomiting is another symptom of closed-angle glaucoma.  Any type of severe pain can make us nauseous. Vomiting is frequently a side effect of severe pain.

The rainbow colored halos around bright lights appear with both types of glaucoma. The difference is that with closed-angle glaucoma, you don’t mistake it for haze or tired eyes. Your vision is too poor by that time.

Closed-angle glaucoma is also accompanied by rapid loss of vision. The fast fluid build-up is responsible for that.

Fortunately, closed-angle glaucoma is uncommon, but when it occurs, it is a true medical emergency.  Open-angle glaucoma sneaks up on us because it has no early warning signs or symptoms.  That’s why it’s so important to have regular eye checkups and take good care of our health.

Prevent Glaucoma With Healthy Habits

Good exercise and nutrition habits have as much effect on our eye health as they do on the rest of our body’s health.

So eat your fruits and vegetables, exercise and relax your eyes regularly and get plenty of sleep and glaucoma may only be something you read about.