What Causes High Eye Pressure and How to Reduce It
High Eye Pressure occurs when the fluid (aqueous humor) within the eye is produced more quickly than excess is drained. This happens when tear ducts and other channels of drainage are not functioning correctly. As a result, liquid builds up inside the eyeball and causes excessive pressure.
This is a very bad thing because the high pressure within the eye contributes to the development of glaucoma, as well as several other types of visual field defects. Although high eye pressure can increase your risk of developing glaucoma, it’s important to understand that this is not inevitable. You do have some control over your eye pressure. In this article, we will discuss some natural ways to Reduce Eye Pressure. Read on to learn more.
Stay Well Hydrated
You should drink approximately one cup of water per 20 pounds of body weight daily. Be sure to keep a reusable bottle or canteen of pure filtered water by your side at all times. Sip on it throughout the day, but do not gulp large amounts of liquid. If you drink a quart of liquid all at once, you may actually increase your eye pressure.
Practice Good Stress Management
It’s important to keep your blood pressure under control because this directly impacts your eye pressure. Be sure to eat and sleep well, exercise regularly and take frequent breaks to stretch and move around throughout the day. This will have a positive impact on your blood circulation, your stress level, and your overall health.
It’s also smart to take 15 or 20 minutes, once or twice daily to think, meditate, pray or reflect. Practice some deep breathing exercises to calm your nerves, lower your blood pressure and eye pressure and reduce your stress levels.
There are a number of activities that are especially good for helping to manage stress. Among them are:
- Soaking Baths
- Mind Imagery
- Biofeedback
- Pet Therapy
- Meditation
- Massage
- Music
- Yoga
Spending a few minutes in reflection and/or pursuing one of these activities daily will show positive results fairly quickly.
Drink Fewer Caffeinated Beverages
Eye pressure increases incrementally according to the amount of caffeine you take in. Reduce the amount of coffee you drink, and look for lower caffeine alternatives such as green tea. Switching to green and herbal teas reduces your caffeine consumption and adds health benefits. For example, green tea is rich in antioxidants that help support good eye health.
Get Regular Exercise
Exercising for at least twenty minutes a day is a great way to improve circulation, reduce blood pressure and reduce eye pressure. Choose forms of exercise that increase your heart rates, such as cycling, dancing, and aerobic exercise. Getting regular exercise for 20 – 30 minutes, at least 5 days weekly will significantly reduce eye pressure, even if you have glaucoma.
It’s good to finish up your exercise sessions with stretching and/or yoga, but do take care if you have glaucoma. Avoid doing head stands and other heads-down poses, which tend to increase eye pressure.
Take Control Of Your Eye Health
It should come as no surprise that healthy habits support healthy eyes. Taking good care of yourself by managing stress, eating well, getting enough rest, staying hydrated and exercising regularly can go a long way toward reducing eye pressure and improving your general health and well-being.
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