High eye pressure: symptoms and remedies
The term “intraocular pressure” refers to the pressure in the eyes. When the latter is higher than normal, ocular hypertension occurs. Eye pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, expressed in mm Hg. A normal eye pressure is between 10 and 21 mm Hg. Therefore, elevated intraocular pressure is greater than 21 mm Hg.
Symptoms that indicate high eye pressure
Most people with high eye pressure do not experience any symptoms. For this reason, it is very important to undergo regular eye examinations in order to rule out any damage to the optic nerve due to high blood pressure.
Ocular hypertension carries a higher risk of developing glaucoma, so the patient is considered a “suspect of glaucoma”. It is a disease that damages the optic nerve and can ultimately cause vision loss, the ophthalmologist will need to carefully monitor eye pressure and provide advice on how to reduce it.
Glaucoma can cause symptoms such as strong, throbbing eye pain, headaches, blurry vision, nausea and vomiting, redness of the eyes, or halo vision. If you experience any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor immediately.
Remedies to reduce eye pressure
The ophthalmologist may prescribe a particular eye drop to reduce high eye pressure. You can also keep elevated eye pressure under control and improve overall eye health through proper lifestyle choices, such as:
- a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables;
- regular exercise;
- hydration;
- limited caffeine consumption;
- regular eye examinations.
The causes of high eye pressure
There are five main causes that lead to high eye pressure. These are:
- Overproduction of aqueous humor. The aqueous humor is a clear and watery fluid present in the eye behind the iris. Its purpose is to wet and transport oxygen and nutrients to the lens and to help maintain constant pressure. It flows through the pupil and fills the space between the iris and cornea, then drains through a structure called trabecular meshwork. Sometimes the body produces an excessive amount of water. If aqueous water is produced at a rate higher than it can drain, there is an increase in eye pressure.
- Slow drainage: If for some reason the drainage system is not working as it should, water will build up and drain too slowly. Even if the body produces the right amount of fluid, inadequate drainage can cause high blood pressure in the eye.
- Trauma to the eye. Some injuries alter or impair the balance between aqueous humor production and drainage, which can lead to elevated eye pressure. Note that trauma can affect your eyes months or years after the actual injury, so it’s a good idea to let your eye doctor know if you’ve had an injury in the past.
- Medications: Steroid medications, including steroid eye drops, can cause elevated eye pressure.
- Other eye disorders: Conditions such as corneal arch, pigment dispersion syndrome, and pseudo-exfoliation syndrome are all associated with ocular hypertension.
High eye pressure: risk factors
Risk factors include being over 40 years of age: worldwide, it is estimated that as many as 10% of adults over the age of 40 have an intraocular pressure of 21 mm Hg or higher. Family history can also increase the risk of high eye pressure and glaucoma.
How is high eye pressure detected?
High eye pressure is commonly defined as a disorder that manifests itself with an intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg. The latter is measured in one or both eyes in two or more visits. The pressure inside the eye is measured with an instrument called a tonometer.
To determine the possible causes of ocular hypertension, an eye doctor assesses whether the drainage system is open or closed using a technique called gonioscopy. This technique involves using a special contact lens to examine the drainage channels in the eyes and see if they are open, narrowed, or closed.
Signs of eye disease may not be present in ocular hypertension, although some disorders may increase pressure inside the eye.
Ocular hypertension should not be considered a disease in its own right. People who suffer from it should be monitored more closely than the rest of the population for the increased risk of glaucoma. For this reason, another term for a person with ocular hypertension is “suspicion of glaucoma,” which is a person who the eye doctor fears may have or develop glaucoma due to high pressure inside the eyes.
An eye exam could in fact show an optic nerve damaged by glaucoma. This disease is diagnosed when characteristic changes of the optic nerve and vision occur, usually with elevated eye pressure, but occasionally also with normal pressure.
