See Clear

Glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness world-wide according to the World Health Organization and the number one cause of blindness in African-Americans, is a group of incurable eye diseases that can cause permanent vision loss with little to no symptoms beforehand.High pressure within the eye is related to glaucoma, but even people with regular eye pressure levels are susceptible to developing it. There is no age limit—the elderly can develop glaucoma, young adults can get it, and one in every ten thousand Americans is born with it. If left untreated, glaucoma can cause blindness–in fact, ten percent of those who are treated still end up blind from it.

People who are developing glaucoma often don’t even notice until it is too late, as the most common form–open angle glaucoma–is painless and often has no obvious symptoms. It is only when vision loss begins, typically with dimming of peripheral (side) vision first, that those with glaucoma tend to notice it. The other type, closed angle glaucoma, is more severe. Whether you have glaucoma or you’re just looking to prevent it, here are some natural treatments for the condition.

Some studies show that caffeine can raise your eye pressure levels for several hours after consuming it, so people with glaucoma are advised to keep their caffeine intake to a minimum. Also, if you have glaucoma, drinking too much liquid at once can increase eye pressure, so space out your drinks throughout the day, especially if you subscribe to drinking a full eight glasses of water per day. Likewise, yoga and other activities where you are upside-down increase pressure in your eyes and head, so avoid them.

As with any stress-related condition, high eye pressure can be prevented by taking more time for rest and relaxation. Regular exercise, surprisingly, can cut down eye pressure by up to 20 percent, and taking eye-related vitamins can greatly help your eyes to heal from most conditions. It should be noted that Bilberry, though commonly advertised as improving eye conditions including glaucoma, has not been found to affect glaucoma at all, nor to prevent it from developing.