High eye pressure – causes, symptoms and how to lower it

High eye pressure should never be underestimated. It is considered the main cause of glaucoma, which can lead to complete blindness. Because high intraocular pressure, like glaucoma, can develop for some time without more serious symptoms, neglecting regular eye check-ups may really not pay off.

In this article you will read about the risks associated with high eye pressure, its causes, its symptoms and the options for treating it.

Exercise can also have a negative effect on high eye pressure

It is a fact that a healthy lifestyle, exercise, rest and sufficient fluid intake are very important for our health. Paradoxically, however, exercise, weight training, lying down or drinking a large amount of water at once can be causes of increased intraocular pressure.

The function of intraocular pressure is to keep the eye in a stable state and protect it from deformation. By releasing fluid containing waste metabolites, which returns to the bloodstream, it also helps prevent swelling of the eye.

The ideal range of eye pressure values is from 10 to 21 mmHg. The highest values can usually be measured in the morning after waking up. If the intraocular pressure is within this range, it means that the production and outflow of intraocular fluid are in balance. In that case the fluid does not accumulate in the eye, i.e. it does not create conditions for the pressure to rise, but can drain away without problems.

Age, an unhealthy lifestyle including alcohol, cigarettes and stress, or heavy physical exertion are the most common factors of increased eye pressure. It must be stressed that high intraocular pressure can also be a sign of more serious health problems. A typical example is cardiovascular disease (article in Slovak). For this reason too, preventive check-ups with an eye doctor should be a matter of course for each of us.

Several symptoms can tell you that you have high intraocular pressure. If in recent weeks you have noticed more frequent eye pain and headaches, worse vision and gaps in your visual field, if you feel nauseous, or if one or both of your eyes have become red, do not put off a visit to the doctor. As we mentioned above, high intraocular pressure can cause glaucoma, which in turn can cause permanent blindness.

On the other hand, reduced eye pressure also has a negative effect on the body. It can cause damage to the optic nerve and deformation of the shape of the eye. Low intraocular pressure can also be an indicator of inflammation or diabetic problems.

Lowering the pressure with medication and surgery

Measuring eye pressure is painless and takes only a moment. After the examination with a tonometer, the doctor decides on the treatment. In the early stages, medication and eye drops that ease the inflow and outflow of intraocular fluid are usually given. If the doctor recommends surgery, it will be either selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) or trabeculectomy. SLT is an almost painless laser surgery with a minimal risk of complications. Laser beams change the eye tissues in order to open the channels for the outflow of intraocular fluid. In trabeculectomy, a channel is created surgically at the border of the white of the eye and the cornea, which allows the intraocular fluid to drain into the conjunctival sac.