What is Glaucoma?

A leading cause of blindness in the United States, glaucoma causes damage to the eye's optic nerve (a bundle of fibers responsible for transmitting visual information from the retina to the brain).

There are several types of glaucoma. The two most common are primary open-angle glaucoma and acute angle-closure glaucoma.

What Causes Glaucoma?
Glaucoma typically occurs when fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly builds up and impairs the optic nerve.

In primary open-angle glaucoma, fluid drains from the eye too slowly, resulting in painless damage to the optic nerve and a very gradual loss of vision.

In acute angle-closure glaucoma, the iris partially blocks fluid drainage at the angle where the cornea and iris meet, causing an abrupt increase in eye pressure.

The following may increase your risk of glaucoma:

•Being over age 60
•Having a family history of glaucoma
•Diabetes
•High blood pressure
•Eye injuries
•Nearsightedness
African-Americans and Mexican-Americans are more likely to develop glaucoma than Caucasians.

Glaucoma Symptoms
Although primary open-angle glaucoma often has no symptoms, it leads to a very gradual loss of peripheral vision and - in advanced stages - tunnel vision.

Considered a medical emergency, acute angle-closure glaucoma causes sudden, severe eye pain that may be accompanied by the following:

•Reddening of the eye
•Stomach upset (including nausea and vomiting)
•Sudden visual disturbances, such as blurred vision or the presence of halos around lights

Treatment for Glaucoma
If you experience symptoms of acute angle-closure glaucoma, it's important to seek immediate medical attention. Treatment may include the use of medication and/or a laser procedure that promotes drainage of fluid from the eye.

Undergoing an eye exam every two years can increase your chances of detecting glaucoma in its early stages, delaying progression of the disease, and preserving your vision.

Standard treatments for glaucoma include eyedrops, oral medication, fluid-draining laser procedures, and conventional surgery that creates a new opening for fluid to leave the eye.

Alternative Treatment for Glaucoma

If not properly treated, glaucoma can result in total blindness. While alternative medicine alone can't treat glaucoma, certain remedies and therapies may help manage the disease. Consider talking with your eye doctor about using the following to help prevent or control glaucoma:

1) Ginkgo Biloba

This herb may boost blood flow to the optic nerve and, in turn, have a beneficial effect on glaucoma, according to a research review published in 2001. However, the review authors note that ginkgo biloba was not found to have a direct effect on eye pressure.

2) Vitamin C

Vitamin C - an antioxidant available in supplement form and also abundant in citrus, berries, tomatoes, and other fruits and vegetables - may help reduce eye pressure and benefit people with glaucoma, a 2001 study suggests.

3) Mind-Body Stress Management

Since stress is a risk factor for acute angle-closure glaucoma, including a stress-reducing practice such as tai chi, yoga, or meditation in your self-care may help protect your vision.


In a 2007 Mayo Clinic study of men with knee osteoarthritis, smokers were twice as likely to lose significant amounts of cartilage than nonsmokers.

The researchers believe that smoking slows cartilage cell production and raises the levels of blood toxins, which leads to cartilage loss. Smoking also increases carbon monoxide levels in the blood, which could indirectly affect cartilage repair.

4. Don’t overuse painkillers.
Anti-inflammatories, such as ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), should be used in moderation for pain; overuse leads to other medical trouble, Gulati says.

Among the risks: high blood pressure, stomach upset and injury and heart and breathing problems.

“Many people don’t consider over-the-counter non-steroidal, anti-infammatory drugs (NAISDs) as drugs,” she says. “But using 3-4 times the recommended dose over months and years is very dangerous.”

5. Don’t run — walk.
“People who engage in high-impact exercise over time will get osteoarthritis because of the repetitive shock to the joints,” Wei says.

That’s backed by recent research. A 2009 University of California, San Francisco study of 236 people with no arthritic symptoms found that those who were very active – doing several hours a week of walking and other sports — were more likely to have cartilage damage and ligament lesions. Those who did high-impact activities (running and jumping, for example) were likely to have even more cartilage damage.

So keep it gentle and regular – and mix up your exercise routine, Wei advises. Varied workouts – for example, swimming one day and doing yoga the next – avoid repetitive movements that may damage your joints, Wei advises.

Are You Bad to the Bone?
For years, you’ve been the first one on the tennis courts, the weekend hiker, the intrepid gardener on your knees for hours. While all those activities are great for you, they can also be hard on your joints. Find out how much you know about protecting your joints with this osteoarthritis quiz.

Check out Health Bistro for more healthy food for thought. See what Lifescript editors are talking about and get the skinny on the latest news. Share it with your friends (it’s free to sign up!), and bookmark it so you don’t miss a single juicy post!

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