How to Reduce Diabetic Eye Pressure

Every diabetic is at increased risk of developing eye disease. Diabetics who are members of certain populations – African American, Hispanic American, Native American and the elderly – face an even higher risk. Diabetes causes vascular damage throughout the body. Because the blood vessels within the eye are so tiny, any damage at all can have a tremendous impact on eye health.

One of the most prevalent of the diabetes-related eye diseases is glaucoma. In fact, people with diabetes are between 40% and 50% more likely to develop glaucoma than non-diabetics.

Glaucoma causes the pressure within the eye to increase gradually, damaging the optic nerve and leading to partial or complete vision loss. The exact mechanisms for this are unknown. While there are several types of glaucoma, the most common form is open-angle glaucoma.


Open-Angle Glaucoma

The eye is full of fluid which continually refreshes. Normally, fluid drains at a point in the eye where the iris and the cornea meet. If this opening becomes even partially blocked the fluid drains out of the eye too slowly, even as new fluid is added. This backup of fluid causes an increase in pressure within the eye, damaging the optic nerve.

Open-angle glaucoma does not cause any symptoms until the disease is well-advanced. By that time, vision is impacted, with loss of peripheral vision first, advancing to tunnel vision and then total vision loss as the disease progresses.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to lower intraocular pressure. This can be approached one of three ways: lower eye pressure, improve drainage of fluid from the eye or decrease the volume of fluid produced within the eye.


There are a variety of eye drops that may be prescribed.

  • Prostaglandins (Xalatan, Lumigan) and cholingeric agents (Isopto Carbine and Isopto Carbachol) act to increase outflow of fluid from within the eye.
  • Beta blockers (Betimol, Timoptic, Betoptic) and carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (Trusopt, Azopt) reduce the production of fluid within the eye.
  • Alpha-adrenergic agonists (Iopidine, Alphagan) both lessen fluid production and increase fluid outflow.

Physicians may prescribe a combination of the above.

Oral medications may also be prescribed, if eye drops alone are not sufficient. These are usually in the form of a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor.

If medications are not sufficient to halt progression of the disease, then surgery might be necessary.

Drainage implants might be inserted within the eyes to facilitate drainage.

Laser surgery, known as laser trabeculoplasty, can be done to open clogged drainage canals.


Filtering surgery, known as trabeculectomy, removes a small piece of tissue from the location of the drainage canals, widening the opening and improving drainage.

The best possible treatment for glaucoma is prevention. Everyone above 40 years of age should have an eye exam at least every three years. Diabetics should have a dilated examination of their eyes annually.

Well-controlled blood sugar levels are another preventive measure that will lessen the odds of developing glaucoma.

Sources: National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Mayo Clinic
Photo: Pexels


More Articles

With its slightly nutty flavor, chewy texture, and nutritional punch farro is an ancient whole grain worth a place in our pantry.

Farro...

Having diabetes is cause for concern, however it doesn’t mean that you need to eliminate all of your favorite foods from your diet completely....

With diabetes becoming more of an epidemic each and every day, being knowledgeable about the disease, its effects on the body as well as ways to...

If you’re a diabetic or live with one, it can be tough trying to figure out the best foods to eat because your priority is to control your blood...

In this post, I will show you the 10 best ice creams for diabetics.

When you think of sweetened foods that a diabetic shouldn’t consume,...

More Articles

If you’re living with diabetes, snacking is a necessity because going for more than 3-4 hours without eating can be detrimental to your health....

For diabetics, choosing healthy snacks can be a daunting task.

A good rule of thumb is to pick out snacks that are rich in protein, fiber,...

According to information available through the National Institutes of Health, there’s an estimated 462 million people in the world who are...

Eleven Clinical Studies

After eleven clinical studies and 300,000 participants, researcher Vasanti Malik and her team of researchers...

Diabetic women often have a harder time losing weight than non-diabetic women. A study funded by Jenny Craig proved that diabetic women have an...

Many recent studies have proved that magnesium levels are lower in patients with diabetes than in non-diabetics. This magnesium...

Fluid retention, also known as edema, is a problem that affects many diabetics, especially those with type 2 diabetes...

Some of us might be thrilled if we could manage our blood sugar by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, instead of working up a sweat biking, or using...

Cooking and baking with the ancient cereal grain sorghum has health benefits for people with diabetes, and those with weight control issues....

When it comes to certain foods, there are always questions as to whether or not a diabetic can have them without...

Matcha tea is a rich, creamy, full-bodied beverage with amazing nutritional properties that address several diabetes health concerns.

The...

Salads are good example of foods that type 2 diabetics can enjoy with relatively low guilt. With the right greens and other elements added, salad...

Remaining gainfully employed is important to many people. Those who live with any form of diabetes may find that some lines of work are more...

Learning that you have diabetes does mean making some lifestyle changes. One of the areas that needs attention is your diet. Most people find that...

One of the more challenging aspects of life as a type 2 diabetic is managing your diet. There’s often the temptation to avoid certain foods...