How to Prevent Glaucoma

Though the majority of risk factors for glaucoma, such as family heredity, age and race, cannot be prevented or controlled, there are certain ways you can monitor and maintain the health of your eyes to help avert the onset of the disease. The most important thing to remember to help prevent glaucoma is that it is necessary to have regular eye examinations by a medical professional, especially if you are over the age of 20.

Instructions

• 1

  Use prescription eye drops on a daily basis to help prevent glaucoma. You will need to consult with your doctor to find the appropriate prescription, as there are different types related to the varying kinds of glaucoma. Some eye drops reduce the production of fluid in the eyes, while others help moisturize them, but the overall purpose of all types of eye drops is to help reduce the pressure in back of the eyes caused by glaucoma.

• 2

  Limit your exposure to physical and sports-related activities that could potentially lead to eye injury. Certain types of eye injury may lead to glaucoma immediately following damage to the eye, or even several years later, due to damage to the eye's drainage system. Baseball and boxing are the most common sports that cause injuries leading to glaucoma.

• 3

  Investigate cholesterol-lowering medications that may help reduce the risk of glaucoma if you already suffer from a cardiovascular condition. In most cases, your doctor will not prescribe this type of medication unless you have a health condition related to high cholesterol. Still, medical studies suggest that an additional benefit of these medications may be the reduction of risk for glaucoma.

• 4

  Learn about common risk factors for glaucoma in order to determine whether you are particularly susceptible to the disease. People over the age of 60, certain ethnic groups such as African Americans and Asians and those with a family history of glaucoma, heart disease or high blood pressure are considered to be at high risk for developing the disease. Though you may not be able to completely prevent glaucoma, being aware of the risk factors may help you to get medical treatment before it is too late to avoid permanent damage to your vision.

• 5

  Make regular appointments with your doctor to monitor the health of your eyes, especially if you are at high risk for developing glaucoma. Frequent eye examinations will help your doctor detect symptoms of glaucoma as early as possible. Depending on your age, you should have an eye examination at least once a year.