Natural Ways to Help Reduce Eye Pressure

High eye pressure increases your risk of developing glaucoma and a number of other visual field defects, states the University of Illinois Eye and Eye Infirmary 2. However, not everyone with high eye pressure develops glaucoma.

There are natural ways to help reduce eye pressure. You need to follow all methods in a diligent and consistent manner in order to reap the best results.

Keep Hydrated

Staying hydrated can help. Drinking small amounts of water throughout the day will help to lower your eye pressure, states the Mayo Clinic. Do not drink a large amount of liquid at one time, however. **Drinking a quart or more of fluid during one sitting can lead to your eye pressure actually increasing.

If you are 150 pounds or under, drink at least 64ozs of water throughout the day. ** This equates to five cups of water, states holisticonline.com. For every 20 pounds over 150, drink an additional cup.

Lower Your Stress Level

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As your overall blood pressure rises, so does your eye pressure. Keeping your blood pressure at a safe level will be an important natural way to reduce your eye pressure, states the Mayo Clinic and holisticonline.com. **Stretching throughout the day will help you lower your stress level.

Start doing breathing exercises to reduce your stress level. Sit upright in a quiet place. Breathe in and out while concentrating on your abdominal area. Watch your abdomen expand and contract as you inhale and exhale. ** Do this for five minutes, states holisticonline.com. Achieve to reach a daily goal of doing 15 minutes of breathing exercises. Meditation, yoga, massage, warm baths, pet therapy, music, mind imagery, and biofeedback can also provide stress relief. Eating a well-balanced diet will reduce your eye pressure by preserving your general health.

Lower Your Caffeine Consumption

Lower the amount of caffeine you consume. Drinking caffeinated coffee can raise your eye pressure, according to the University of Illinois Eye and Eye Infirmary 2.

The level of your eye pressure increase depends upon the amount of caffeine you consume.

Green tea contains lower caffeine amounts than does caffeinated coffee. Start drinking more tea: it's also rich in eye-healthy antioxidants known as flavonoids.

Exercise

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Getting your exercise may be a natural way to help reduce eye pressure, states the Mayo Clinic. An isokinetic exercise, such as riding a stationary bike at a controlled rate of speed, has shown dramatic results in lowering intraocular pressure. Aerobic exercise lowers intraocular pressure and may also improve blood flow to your retina and optic nerve, according to the University of Illinois Eye and Eye Infirmary on agingeye.net 2. Exercising on a regular basis will help lower your blood pressure, states the American Heart Association. Start getting 30 minutes of moderately-brisk exercise on at least five days of the week for best results. The type of eye pressure you experience will determine how effective exercise will or will not be. If you have open-angled glaucoma, for instance, exercise will help reduce your eye pressure. In all cases, do not do head-down yoga positions or stretches. These postures are known to increase eye pressure. Avoid isometric exercises, otherwise known as muscle contractions, since these also raise eye pressure.