LIFESTYLE AND GLAUCOMA

Most people are not aware that lifestyle is definitely related to risk of glaucoma.  Again the risks for heart disease are implicated in glaucoma risk.  For years it has been known that blood pressure is a cause of increasing intraocular pressure (IOP).  Obesity has been shown to be an independent risk factor for elevated IOP.   Type II Diabetes and glaucoma have a positive association.

Again the protective recommendations are to maintain an ideal body weight, and blood pressure.  One way to do this is to exercise.  A 1991 study showed that people who exercise regularly 4 times a week for 40 minutes reduced their IOP 4.6mmHg which is very significant.  The average IOP is 18mmHg so this is a 25% reduction.  

A debatable factor is coffee or caffeine consumption.  An unpublished study done by Mary Lynch M.D. in 1988 found that IOP increased 2.55mmHg (14%) in a person without glaucoma after 4 cups of coffee; while a person with glaucoma after only 2 cups of coffee had a 2mmHg (11%)  IOP rise.  Her study was done against controls that consumed an equal amount of water.  This is important because drinking a large volume of any liquid has been shown to cause IOP elevations.

Dr. Mellgren spent time doing an IOP study at Weimar Institute.  There people are treated with lifestyle changes which include:  exercise, water treatments, avoidance of harmful agents such as tobacco and caffeine, rest, sunshine in moderation, a plant based diet, and avoidance of stress and trust in divine power.  She measured the IOP of participants on arrival and after 19 days of the above lifestyle changes.  She found an 11% IOP reduction compared to controls who experienced no lifestyle change.  

We may not be able to change our genetics but we can have a great impact on our environment.  And environmental or lifestyle can have a great effect on us.  

Medical references:          Ophthalmology/Vol 91, 1984, pp331-314

                                                Am J Ophthalmol/Vol 101, 1986, pp714-721

                                                Br J Ophthalmol/Vol 71, 1987, pp245-314

                                                Br J Ophthalmol/Vol 59, 1975, pp717-720

                                                Arch Ophthalmol/Vol 102, 1984, pp883-887

                                                Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci/Vol 33, 1992, pp2224-2228

                                                KoreanI J Ophthalmol 2002

                                                Am J Ophthalmol/Vol 113, 2006, pp1081-1086

                                                Diabet Med/Vol 21, 2004, pp609-614

                                                Br J Ophthalmol/Vol 84, 2000, pp1218-1224

                                                Dr. Michael Passo 1991