Glaucoma and lifestyle: What you can do yourself

Glaucoma is a serious eye disease that, if left untreated, can lead to blindness. In addition to medical treatment by an ophthalmologist, there are many things you can do yourself to stop or even improve the progression of the disease, thereby enhancing your quality of life. A healthy lifestyle plays a key role in this.

The Importance of a Healthy Lifestyle

While a healthy lifestyle cannot cure glaucoma or restore vision that has already been lost, it can help lower intraocular pressure, improve blood flow to the optic nerve, and promote overall health. This can slow the progression of glaucoma and help preserve or even improve your remaining eyesight.

What You Can Do Yourself

Nutrition

• Maintain a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Get enough eye-protecting vitamins such as lutein, found in leafy green vegetables like spinach and kale. Vitamin supplements such as “Augenvital” or “Taxofit” can also be beneficial.
• Avoid significant weight gain.

Exercise

• Engage in regular physical activity—at least three times a week for 45 minutes. This stimulates circulation and supports microcirculation.
• Regular swimming can help protect the optic nerve.

Stress Management

• Keep in mind: anxiety and stress accelerate vision loss.
• Use relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, or breathing exercises to reduce stress.
• Psychotherapy can also be helpful in dealing with stress, especially for perfectionists.

Eye Care

• Follow your ophthalmologist’s recommendations and take your medication regularly.
• Have regular eye check-ups—every two to five years before the age of 65, and about every one to two years thereafter.
• Avoid smoking.
• Limit your alcohol consumption to a minimum.

Additional Tips

• Get enough sleep.
• Ensure good lighting in your home.
• Wear sunglasses with UV protection.
• Participate in low-vision mobility training.
• Consider visual training and/or brain stimulation therapy.
• Exchange experiences with other patients in a self-help group.

Stress Is a Risk Factor

Many patients report experiencing great stress from anxiety, job loss, or financial worries at the onset of their visual problems. Stress can constrict blood vessels in the eye and impair microcirculation, leading to reduced oxygen and energy supply to nerve cells. Therefore, effective stress management is an important part of self-care for glaucoma patients.

A Holistic Approach

View your condition holistically and include not only medical but also psychological, social, and lifestyle factors in your health management. Pay attention to both your physical and emotional well-being. When you are happy and content, your eyes will love you back.

Regaining Quality of Life Through Acceptance

Although glaucoma presents a challenge, adopting a healthy lifestyle and actively engaging with your condition can help preserve your vision and improve your quality of life. Don’t become a slave to the fear of blindness—accept your situation. Acceptance does not mean giving up the search for solutions.