DIET & GLAUCOMA

You are what you eat, and so are your eyes.

A nutritious diet can help support healthy vision and better manage glaucoma. Choosing the right nutrients can help protect your optic nerve, reduce eye pressure, and support overall eye health.

Fruits and Vegetables

A diet rich in antioxidants and nitrates commonly found in fruits and vegetables may help lower the risk of developing glaucoma. To support eye health, it’s beneficial to include a variety of produce, particularly those high in vitamins A and C, carotenes, and nitrates. Nutrient-dense options include green leafy vegetables, carrots, cruciferous vegetables, berries, citrus fruits, and peaches.1,2

Carbohydrates

While current research does not establish a clear link between low-carbohydrate diets and the risk of Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma (POAG). However, replacing carbohydrates with plant-based fats and proteins may help lower the risk of early peripheral vision loss.3

Dark Chocolate

Dark chocolate is rich in flavonoids and has demonstrated benefits in individuals with vascular and cardiovascular conditions. However, more research is needed to determine its potential advantages for glaucoma patients.4

Tea

Tea contains low levels of caffeine and does not pose any added risk. In fact, individuals who drink at least one cup of tea per day may have a reduced risk of developing glaucoma compared to non-tea drinkers. 5 Tea contains flavonoids that may reduce glaucoma risk by improving blood flow to the optic nerve6

Reference:

  1. Giaconi JA, Yu F, Stone KL, et al. The association of consumption of fruits/vegetables with decreased risk of glaucoma among older African-American women in the study of osteoporotic fractures. Am J Ophthalmol. 2012;154(4):635-44. doi: 10.1016/j.ajo.2012.03.048
  2. Kang JH, Willett WC, Rosner BA, Buys E, Wiggs JL, Pasquale LR. Association of dietary nitrate intake with primary open-angle glaucoma: a prospective analysis from the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals’ Follow-up Study. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;134(3):294-303. Doi: 10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2015.5601
  3. Hanyuda A, Rosner BA, Wiggs JL, et Low-carbohydrate-diet scores and the risk of primary open-angle glaucoma: data from three US cohorts. Eye. 2020;34:1465-75. Doi: 10.1038/s41433-020-0820-5
  4. Al Owaifeer AM, Al Taisan The role of diet in glaucoma: a review of the current evidence. Ophthalmol Ther. 2018;7:19-31. Doi: 10.1007/s40123-018-0120-3
  5. Wu CM, Wu AM, Tseng VL, Yu F, Coleman Frequency of a diagnosis of glaucoma in individuals who consume coffee, tea and/or soft drinks. Br J Ophthalmol. 2017;[Epub ahead of print]. doi:10.1136/bjophthalmol-2016-310924.
  6. Milea D, Aung Flavonoids and glaucoma: revisiting therapies from the past. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol. 2015;253(11):1839-40. Doi: 10.1007/s00417-015-3167-z