4 Natural Remedies to Compliment Your Glaucoma Treatment
Eye drops are the most common glaucoma treatment. However, people have started using alternative treatments, such as natural glaucoma remedies, for quite some time now. These solutions use nutrients that improve vision and reduce the risk of complications.
People all over the world use these remedies because they work wonderfully for reducing ocular pressure and minimizing several glaucoma symptoms. They might not be able to replace a treatment plan prescribed by your doctor, but they can help treat the medical condition.
What are the best glaucoma remedies? How can you make them at home? Keep reading to find out about the important things you need to know about glaucoma and some natural solutions to treat it. Don’t miss out!
What is glaucoma?
Glaucoma is a medical condition that occurs when intraocular pressure rises, causing the optic nerve to deteriorate. It’s a degenerative disease that can cause blindness if it’s not treated in time. The elderly and patients with family history of this condition have a higher risk of developing glaucoma.
Normal eye exams are important for preventing the condition because in some cases, there are no noticeable symptoms. Patients can’t regain any lost eyesight due to glaucoma, but intervening in time raises the chances of reducing the damage or preventing the disease.
Read more: Cataract Symptoms and Types to Know
Glaucoma symptoms
Clinical signs of glaucoma vary depending on how advanced it is. Regardless, you should check out any irregularity since detecting the condition early is crucial for having better chances to treat it.
Glaucoma can be either open-angle or angle-closure. Let’s take a look at the symptoms.
Open-angle glaucoma
- Blind spots in peripheral or central vision, affecting one or both of the eyes
- Tunnel vision (advanced stages)
- Mild headaches
- Consistent need to change lenses
- Halo vision
Angle-closure glaucoma
- Severe headaches
- Eye pain and tiredness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Blurry vision
- Halo vision
- Red eyes
- Pupils fail to adapt to darkness
Natural glaucoma remedies
All glaucoma cases require medical attention for a diagnosis and a proper treatment plan. Medical tests that confirm glaucoma cases might include tonometry, visual field tests and gonioscopy (used for examining the drainage angle).
Treatments are intended to reduce intraocular pressure. In addition to eye drops and medication, patients can also try several homemade remedies.
1. Fennel seed tea
Consuming fennel seed tea on a regular basis can fight water retention and circulatory problems, and this helps to treat glaucoma. It might not be a “miracle” solution that can stop the disease, but it’s helpful for reducing the symptoms.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons of fennel seeds
- 1 cup of boiling water
Instructions
- Firstly, add the fennel seeds to the cup of boiling water and then cover.
- Let it cool for 10 to 15 minutes and strain.
Drinking instruction
- Drink one cup of the tea in the morning and another in the afternoon.
2. Mistletoe tea
Mistletoe contains nutrients that help protect our vision and reduce eye tiredness. It’s also good for blood circulation, which is key in treating glaucoma.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of mistletoe
- 1 cup of water
Instructions
- Add the mistletoe to the cup of water and then boil for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, let it cool for 10 minutes and strain.
Drinking instruction
- Drink a cup at mid-morning every day.
3. Carrot juice
Carrot juice contains vitamin A, which is an essential nutrient for purple cone visual pigments. Thus, adding carrots to your diet will help to improve your night vision and help reduce your risks of developing glaucoma.
Ingredients
- 2 big carrots
- 1 glass of water
Instructions
- Firstly, peel and dice the carrots.
- Then blend them with the glass of water.
- Make sure the drink is thoroughly blended and then pour into a glass without straining.
Drinking instruction
- Drink a glass of the juice every day.
4. Chamomile infusion
Chamomile flowers are a traditional remedy that can help to fight eye-related problems. They contain components that gently alleviate eye tissue and provide a refreshing effect for them. Therefore, a cup of chamomile tea is great for reducing the pressure that comes from glaucoma.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of chamomile flowers
- 2 cups of water
Instructions
- In a pot, heat up the two cups of water and chamomile flowers.
- Afterwards, cover and let it cool for 15 or 20 minutes.
- Once the time is up, strain the infusion.
Application instruction
- Use the infusion to wash your eye-area when it feels swollen.
In addition to these natural remedies, you can try eye exercises and follow a healthy diet. These remedies won’t cure glaucoma, but they can help to keep the condition from advancing.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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