How Do I Lower My Intraocular Pressure - Missouri Eye Institute (2024)

FAQs

How Do I Lower My Intraocular Pressure - Missouri Eye Institute? ›

If you use eye drops to lower your intraocular pressure, it's important to use them as prescribed. These usually need to be used several times a day to work effectively. You'll also need to see your eye doctor more for follow-up appointments.

Exercise. Moderate exercise can result in lowering of IOP. This effect can last several months. It also has many other health benefits, including lowered blood pressure which may also have a positive effect on IOP.

Some types of eye drops work by helping fluid drain from your eye, which lowers eye pressure. Examples include: Prostaglandins, like Xalatan (latanoprost), Travatan Z (travoprost), Zioptan (tafluprost), and Lumigan (bimatoprost) Rho kinase inhibitor, like Rhopressa (netarsudil)

Medications, usually in the form of medicated eyedrops, are prescribed to help lower increased intraocular pressure. Sometimes, more than one medicine is needed. Initially, your eye doctor might have you use the eyedrops in only one eye to see how effective the drug is in lowering the pressure inside your eye.

Drinking a quart of water in less than five minutes has been shown to increase intraocular pressure; instead, advise your patients to drink small amounts of water often to stay hydrated.

A warm, cozy mug of green tea (or a glass of iced, if you'd like) might be helpful for easing some of that eye pressure for an hour or two after sipping, found one small study published in the International Journal of Ophthalmology.

The study showed that eye pressure was lower when the bed head was elevated at 30 degrees compared to when lying flat.

The mean IOP immediately after ocular massage was lower than at baseline, a mean reduction of −6.2 ± 1.9 mmHg. This effect persisted 5 min after the ocular massage, a mean reduction of −3.8 ± 2.0 mmHg.

What is the danger zone for eye pressure? ›

Anything that exceeds 21 mm Hg is considered hypertensive.

What causes ocular hypertension? Increased intraocular pressure may occur if too much fluid enters the eye or too little fluid drains from the eye. Different conditions may prevent the aqueous humor from exiting the eye at the expected rate, including: Uveitis (inflammation of the middle portion of the eye)

Reductions in IOP were found to increase with the duration of walking, jogging and running. IOP measured after both isometric and isokinetic exercise was found to be lower than pre-exercise IOP.

In one study, aerobic exercise (such as walking, swimming, biking, or working out on stationary machines) at a brisk level for 30 to 45 minutes three to four times a week lowered intraocular pressure (IOP) and improved blood flow to the brain and the eye.

The IOP showed a general trend of decline with age for both men and women and varied across geographical locations. The mean IOP was 15.4 (95% CI: 9.1-21.6) mmHg for men and 14.9 (95% CI: 9.0-20.8) mmHg for women. For men, it decreased from 11.0-23.5 mmHg at age 18-24 years to 10.5-20.5 mmHg at age ≥70 years.

“Strict adherence to medication is the single most important thing a patient with glaucoma can do to keep their vision from worsening,” Yohannan says.