Glaucoma: Prevention

To prevent glaucoma (glaucoma), attention must be paid to reducing risk factors.

Behavioral risk factors

  • Diet
    • Micronutrient deficiency (vital substances) – see Prevention with micronutrients.
  • Consumption of stimulants
  • Overweight (BMI ≥ 25; obesity).

Environmental pollution – intoxications (poisonings).

  • Particulate matter levels – people from neighborhoods in the top quarter of particulate matter levels (PM 2.5) were 6% more likely to suffer from glaucoma than those living in the lowest quarter of particulate matter levels

Prevention factors

  • Genetic factors:
    • Genetic risk reduction dependent on gene polymorphisms, related to pseudoexfoliation glaucoma (synonym: PEX glaucoma):
      • Genes/SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphism):
        • Gene: LOXL1
        • SNP: rs3825942 in the gene LOXL1
          • Allele constellation: TT (0.1-fold to 0.03-fold).
          • Allele constellation: CT (slightly lower).
  • Using data from the Nurses’ Health Study (63,893 women, study period 1984-2012) and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (41,094 men, 1986-2012), the influence of nitrate-containing foods on the incidence of open-angle glaucoma was examined. This showed that abundant consumption of foods high in nitrates (e.g., green vegetables, cabbage) may be protective against open-angle glaucoma. Participants in the highest quintile of nitrate intake (approximately 240 mg/die) were 21% less likely to develop open-angle glaucoma compared with the quintile with the lowest nitrate intake (approximately 80 mg/die). In a subgroup of patients with paracentral visual field loss, the quintile with the highest nitrate intake developed glaucoma even 44% less frequently (MVRR/multivariable relative risk: 0.56; 0.40-0.79).
  • Tea drinkers (tea with caffeine) had a 74% lower risk of being part of the glaucoma group than those who did not drink tea daily. Coffee drinkers, on the other hand, with or without caffeine, were equally likely to be in the glaucoma group. Consumption of decaffeinated tea had no effect on glaucoma risk. Further studies are to be waited.