Natural Ways to Help Reduce Eye Pressure

Intraocular pressure is the pressure inside the eye. Eye pressure is measured by the amount of mercury in millimeters, or mm Hg. Normal pressure falls between 10 and 21 mm Hg. If it is greater than 21 mm Hg, the condition is referred to as ocular hypertension. A doctor will measure the pressure on at least two occasions with an instrument called a tonometer. If you are diagnosed with this condition, there are natural methods to reduce eye pressure.

Identification

• You may not notice symptoms of ocular hypertension. Therefore you should get regular eye exams by an ophthalmologist. The exam may help rule out the possibility of damage from high pressure. People who are at high risk for ocular pressure are the elderly and people of African descent such as African Americans. In addition, if you have glaucoma or are at risk for it, you may develop ocular hypertension later on, according to emedicinehealth.com.

Treatment

• Your ophthalmologist will prescribe medicines to help lower the pressure. Follow the doctor's exact instructions to prevent an elevation in pressure, which can lead to nerve damage and vision loss. You will probably be given a topical medicine (eye drops) to apply to the eye; however, some ophthalmologists don't treat the eye unless there is nerve damage present.

Alternatives

• If you exercise regularly, you may be able to reduce eye pressure, according to glaucoma.org. However, there are some positions to avoid if you do yoga. People with glaucoma or have been diagnosed with ocular hypertension should avoid getting into an inverted or head-down position due an increase in eye pressure. Limit drinking caffeinated beverages, since it has been shown to elevate eye pressure in a short amount of time. Marijuana smoking had been shown to lower eye pressure based on studies done in the 1970s to 1980s, according to agingeye.net.