Glaucoma

As the “Baby Boomer” generation in the United States approaches their 60’s and beyond, the incidence of eye disease in this aging population will rise. Eye problems become more prevalent as an individual ages. What are the most common eye diseases in older people? How can eye geriatric eye disease be prevented and addressed naturally? And what does Baby Boomer natural eye care look like?
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Don’t just take it from us that glaucoma risk increases in those who have diabetes, high blood pressure, and who are overweight.  Researchers publishing in the journal Ophthalmology have found that these conditions, which together are labeled “metabolic syndrome” are all linked to the development of open-angle glaucoma.

A staggering 20% of people in America are said to have metabolic syndrome.  Both metabolic syndrome and glaucoma are associated with aging, so, as the US population gets older, scientists believe that both conditions with become more prevalent.
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The role of intraocular pressure (a.k.a. IOP or eye pressure) and glaucoma is still a point of discussion.

At a meeting of the World Glaucoma Association, speaker Felipe Medeiros, MD described a common myth: “21 mm Hg threshold, above which IOP is supposed to be abnormal and below which is thought to be normal.”

In fact, according to this story’s source, the OSN Supersite, only 9.5% of patients with what is considered a high IOP are ever diagnosed with glaucoma.
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Changes in lifestyle are usually the most important way that individuals with diabetes can control their conditions.  Most people seem to know this, but a new survey shows that many diabetics do not follow that advice.

A study called SHIELD (The Study to Help Improve Early Evaluation and Management of Risk Factors Leading to Diabetes), which was presented at the annual meeting of the American Diabetes Association, surveyed nearly 4,000 people with type 2 diabetes.  In response to questions about the link between diabetes and obesity, 87% said they knew excessive weight contributed the disease, but only 70% of respondents reported trying to lose weight in the preceding year.  Only a third of those surveyed had managed to maintain their target weight for longer than six months.  Almost one-fifth of those studied (17%) said they preferred to take medication to control their conditions rather than try diet and exercise.
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Ideally, doctors look at patients in a holistic manner, rather than just a collection of symptoms. At Natural Eye Care, when we talk to glaucoma patients, we are concerned about more than their intraocular pressure measurements.  We want to talk about diet, lifestyle habits, and stress levels.  We want to get an idea of the whole person, and understand their overall health. Learn more about these complementary approaches to glaucoma management.

An article appearing at the site EyeWorld by Tony Realini, M.D. describes how many eye doctors take an “event-based approach” to managing glaucoma patients’ care.  Though he posits that there is still validity in this approach, he points out that it does not help determine the rate of progression of an individual’s condition.
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A nutritional supplement comprised of a patented blend of bilberry and pine bark is marketed as Mitrogenol.  A study published in Clinical Opthamology describes a study of 79 people with raised eye pressure levels.  The intraocular pressure (IOP) of participants who took Mitrogenol decreased by 24%.  Those who took the pharmaceutical eye drop Latanoprost experienced a 28% drop in IOP.  A third group that took a combination of both remedies watched their levels go down by 40%

Researchers found that taking these products together helped lower IOP and resulted in better retinal blood flow.  It is noted that Latanoprost has been noted to cause dry eyes, eye color changes, and eyelid irritation.
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