Can eye pressure be cured? Tests to detect changes in eye pressure

Update: November 2018

Intraocular pressure (IOP) maintains the round shape of our eyes. Its norm is maintained at the level 10 - 21 mm r.s. If this indicator is higher, they speak of ophthalmohypertension. Learn more about the symptoms of high eye pressure and how to treat it.

Types of high IOP

For reasons:

Symptomatic or secondary eye pressure occurs against the background of various diseases - hypertension, diabetes mellitus, thyroid dysfunction, some eye diseases, medication.
Essential or Primary. It occurs in people after 40 years of age against the background of age-related changes and impaired outflow of intraocular fluid.

According to the degree of impact on the structures of the eye:

Ophthalmohypertension. Only high pressure is noted, often asymptomatic, changes in the fundus are not observed. risk of developing glaucoma.
Glaucoma. This is a more severe degree of ophthalmohypertension with irreversible changes in the optic disc, with impaired visual acuity and loss of visual fields.

By time:

Permanent .
episodic. This may include a short-term increase in intraocular pressure in healthy people against the background of stress, physical exertion, excessive fluid intake.

By localization:

Unilateral.
Bilateral.

By degree of increase

Normal - up to 21 mm r.s.
Moderately elevated - up to 28 mm r.s.
High - above 28 mm r.s.

Why is it rising

Excessively high production of intraocular fluid (after injuries of the eyeball, antiglaucoma operations)
Poor drainage from the anterior chamber (ciliary body degeneration, inflammation, blunt trauma to the eye).
Certain medications (long-term use of steroid hormones).
Eye injury.
A significant decrease in blood pressure (blood pressure).
Other diseases of the eye (sluggish uveitis of any etiology).
diabetic coma.

Measurement methods

Measurement of eye pressure (tonometry) is mandatory during a preventive examination by an ophthalmologist of persons starting from the age of 40 years.

There are many methods of tonometry. But in clinical practice, indirect methods are used. The basic principle of such measurements is to determine the response of the eye to the force applied to it.

An experienced doctor can evaluate it without tools - by the resistance of the eyeball when pressing on it with your fingers.

However, two methods are most commonly used:

Tonometry according to Maklakov

It is based on measuring the degree of flattening of the cornea when a weight of 10 g is applied to it. The method is simple, reliable enough, and is used both for preventive examinations and for monitoring treatment in glaucoma patients. When measuring intraocular pressure in this way, they speak of tonometric pressure, and the normal values \u200b\u200bare obtained slightly higher (a figure of up to 25 mm R.S. is considered the norm).

Contactless tonometry

This is a measurement of the flattening of the cornea when exposed to a stream of compressed air. The method is less reliable, but quite suitable for the primary detection of high IOP.

Low IOP

In addition to high, low eye pressure (hypotension of the eye) can also occur. At the same time, intraocular pressure decreases to 7-8 mm r.s. This symptom almost always occurs against the background of other diseases:

Systemic inflammatory processes affecting the ciliary body.
After antiglaucoma operations.
With a sharp decrease in blood pressure.
Uremic or diabetic coma.
After an eye injury.

Symptoms of ophthalmohypotension are clouding and wrinkling of the cornea, clouding of the vitreous body, decreased vision. The eye is reduced in size.

Statistics and norms

The highest IOP is observed in newborns, then gradually decreases up to 10 years. From the age of 20, there is a tendency to a slow increase, and from the age of 70 - to a decrease.

Norm: 10 - 21 mm r.s. Age differences in the average values of eye tone are very insignificant and usually do not exceed 1.5 mm r.s. Therefore, the norms of eye pressure at 40, 50 years and after 60 years do not differ much.

The norm of eye pressure in women is slightly higher than in men, no more than 1 mm.
In summer, IOP is slightly less than in winter, more in the morning than in the evening.
Elevated IOP figures are observed in 7.5% of people over 40 years old,
After 50 years, this figure reaches 20%.

Symptoms of high blood pressure

Increased eye pressure may not cause symptoms for a long time. You may also experience:

pressing, arching pain in the eyes;
decreased vision that develops gradually;
the appearance of interference, flies before the eyes;
iridescent circles when looking at a light source;
impaired adaptation of the eye to the dark.

Since all these symptoms of eye pressure are nonspecific and develop gradually, a person may not attach importance to them for a long time and not see a doctor. So, pain and swelling in the eyes can be mistaken for overwork from working with a computer, for migraine, hypertension or vasospasm.

But even if there are no signs, long-term untreated ophthalmohypertension can trigger irreversible changes in the optic nerve.

Glaucoma

Glaucoma is a disease in which high IOP leads to irreversible damage to the optic nerve, blurred vision and blindness. In the initial stages, it is also not always accompanied by symptoms. As the disease progresses, the following may appear:

pain in one or both eyes;
decreased visual acuity that cannot be corrected with glasses;
violation of peripheral vision: a person sees objects in front of him, and objects from the sides may not be noticed;
the appearance of spots of "blur" in the field of view;
acute attacks of glaucoma may appear - a sharp increase in eye strain, accompanied by pain, decreased vision, eye strain, immobile pupil, redness of the sclera.

Glaucoma is open-angle and closed-angle. The names of these forms correspond to the pathogenesis of the disease and the state of the angle of the anterior chamber. With an open-angle form, the drainage system in this corner is slightly disturbed, so this form can be asymptomatic for a long time. With angle-closure glaucoma, the angle of the anterior chamber is less than 30 degrees, so its main cause is a violation of the outflow of intraocular fluid.

The most common form is primary open-angle glaucoma.

The main diagnostic criteria for glaucoma are:

Loss of visual fields according to perimetry data.
Changes in the fundus by the type of expansion or deepening of the excavation of the optic disc.
Persistently high eye pressure and the symptoms inherent in it are an important, but not the main criterion for glaucoma. Since there are rare forms of glaucoma in which eye pressure is normal (normotensive).

Untreated glaucoma is the most common cause of total blindness.

The main risk group for glaucoma is people over 60 years of age with hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and those receiving hormone therapy.

Why is high intraocular pressure dangerous?

Constantly elevated IOP is fraught with compression of the optic nerve head, which is located on the retina. As a result of malnutrition, nerve fibers atrophy. There is first a loss of vision in the periphery, and then complete blindness may occur, and irreversible.

Tactics in detecting elevated IOP

A single detection of elevated IOP numbers does not give grounds for making a diagnosis. It is necessary to remember about the physiological factors that affect this indicator.

In addition, pseudohypertension is also distinguished - this is a short-term increase in IOP just before its measurement (nervous tension, fear).

With the first detected increase in IOP, control measurements are prescribed. Ideally, daily tonometry is desirable. This is a measurement of eye pressure at the same time in the morning and evening for at least three days. Unfavorable criteria are:

persistent high IOP;
daily fluctuations in IOP more than 5 units;
the difference in pressure on the right and left eye is more than 4 units.

Daily tonometry is preferably carried out in a hospital. It is clear that in practice this is almost impossible. Therefore, outpatient measurements are usually prescribed several times a day.

Special contact lenses with IOP sensors have also been developed, they transmit its indicators during the day to an electronic device.

An ophthalmologist will also advise you to be examined by a therapist, endocrinologist, cardiologist to exclude concomitant diseases.

Identified high IOP does not mean the development of glaucoma. In 2/3 cases of increased eye pressure in adults, no other symptoms and changes in the fundus are detected. But doctors classify such patients as threatened by glaucoma and strongly recommend observation and treatment.

Diagnostics

If a persistent increase in IOP is detected, an examination is prescribed to detect glaucoma:

Visiometry is a study of visual acuity.
Perimetry is a study of peripheral vision.
Gonioscopy. This is an examination of the angle of the anterior chamber using a special mirror lens.
Ophthalmoscopy - Examination of the fundus of the eye using an ophthalmoscope.

Treatment

Benign ophthalmohypertension does not require intensive treatment, observation is recommended. Although many doctors are of the opinion that it is still better to reduce IOP.

If high pressure arose against the background of other reasons, then the elimination of these factors in itself leads to its decrease. So, for example, the abolition of steroid hormones leads to a complete normalization of IOP within 2 weeks. Mandatory normalization of blood pressure, blood sugar, thyroid hormones is necessary.

The basic principles of eye pressure treatment are as follows:

Drug reduction of IOP to the target level (usually up to 16-18 mm)
Treatment of concomitant diseases, elimination of risk factors.
In the absence of the effect of conservative treatment - an operation to improve the outflow of aqueous humor.

The main method of lowering IOP is the use of antihypertensive drops. The principle of operation of the drops is the narrowing of the pupil, the opening of the angle of the anterior chamber of the eye, as well as the decrease in fluid secretion. The main groups of drugs:

Adrenoblockers (Timolol, Arutimol, Okumed, Timoptik)
Cholinomimetics (Pilocarpine, Carbocholol).
Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors Dorzolamide (Trusopt, Dorzolamide, Dorzopt), Brinzolamide (Azopt, Azarga, Brinzopt).
Prostaglandins (Xalatan, Glaumax, Prolatan, Trilactan, Glauprost, Latanoprost, Travatan, Travapress).
Combined preparations (Xalac, Fotil, Pilotimol, Kosopt, Dorzopt, Xalak, Duaprost).

The drugs are selected individually, at first one is prescribed, if it is ineffective, drops from another group are added. It is recommended to change the scheme 2-3 times a year, as addiction develops.

In case of glaucoma, if treatment with drops is ineffective, an operation is prescribed - iridotomy, iridectomy, trabeculoplasty.

Prevention

Annual examination by an ophthalmologist with measurement of IOP after 40 years.
Seek medical attention for visual impairment.
Mandatory pressure control in patients with chronic diseases, as well as those taking steroids.
Adhere to the prescribed treatment regimen, do not cancel the drops yourself.
Compliance with the regime of work and rest, visual regime.
Treatment of chronic diseases.

In medicine, eye pressure is the pressure that exists between the contents of the eyeball and its shell. It is this indicator that helps to determine how fully the human visual system functions.

The danger of increased eye pressure lies in the complete absence of any symptoms that signal a person about the problem. When they appear and begin to disturb the patient, it is already too late to correct the situation without surgical treatment. If high eye pressure persists for a long time, this indicates a development that can lead to complete loss of vision.

Ophthalmologists advise regular examination and measurement of eye pressure. Any deviation from the norm indicates the development of the disease. At risk are people whose age exceeds 40 years (from 35 years, if there are direct relatives suffering from glaucoma).

Eye pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury. The study, during which the indicator is measured, is called.

There are several measurement methods:

non-contact method- to determine the indicator, equipment is used that affects the eye with a stream of air. This method eliminates the possibility of infection of the mucous membrane of the eye, there is no discomfort during the procedure.
with the help of weights- a measurement method in which a special weight with a painted area is briefly placed on the eye, then the contact spot is measured. This method is quite accurate, but there are certain risks associated with infection of the eye and discomfort during the procedure, which requires the use of anesthetics.

Normally, tonometric intraocular pressure should be from 12 to 25 mm Hg. Art. For patients over 50 years old, daily tonometry and outflow ease factor (more than 0.13) are measured.

The patient is asked to drink a small amount of water (0.5 liters) in a short period of time (usually 5 minutes), then laid on the stomach with closed eyes for 30 to 40 minutes and the IOP is measured during the first hour. If IOP rises by 5 or more units, the test is considered positive.

Symptoms and signs of increased eye pressure

As noted earlier, the danger of the disease lies in the fact that in the early stages the symptoms may be absent and do not disturb the person. Such unpleasant sensations as: heaviness in the eyes, feeling of "sand", dryness, burning, as a rule, are associated with general fatigue, lack of sleep and work in front of a computer.

See an ophthalmologist urgently if you have:

sharp reduced visual acuity and field of vision;
appeared severe headaches, which are localized in the area of \u200b\u200bthe eyes or temples;
the color of the eyes becomes red.

All of these symptoms indicate increased eye pressure that affects the optic nerve. If treatment is not started on time, the optic nerve may atrophy, leading to blindness.

Methods for reducing pressure and treating glaucoma

With a slight increase in intraocular pressure, when it is caused by eye fatigue, simple methods will help:

gymnastics for the eyes;
protective glasses;
special eye drops;
limiting the load on the eyes (exclude TV and computer from the daily routine);
do not engage in contact and power sports.

If the pressure does not decrease for a long time, this indicates the development of glaucoma, which is treated at an early stage with the help of drug therapy.

Drops that reduce eye pressure

The action of eye drops is aimed at stimulating the outflow of excess fluid accumulated in the eyes, as well as additional nutrition of the eye with useful substances.

Improving the outflow of intraocular fluid:

Latanoprost (Xalatan)
Travoprost (Travatan)
Timolol (Ocumed, Okumol, Okupres-E, Arutimol, Timohexal, Timolol-pos, Oftan-timolol).

Combined medicines:

Pilocarpine + timolol (Fotil, Fotil-forte),
Latanoprost + timolol (Xalacom)
Dorzolamide + timolol (Kosopt),
Proxodolol + clonidine (Proxophilin),
Proxodolol + pilocarpine (Proxocarpine).

If the disease progresses and drug treatment does not bring the desired result, the patient is prescribed.

Prevention

With frequent and prolonged work at the computer, give your eyes a break of at least five minutes every hour. At this time, you need to do gymnastics for the eyes, massage the eyelids or just close your eyes.
The menu must contain products useful for the eyes: blueberries, sea fish, carrots.
Periodically drink a course of vitamin complexes for the eyes.
Visit an ophthalmologist once a year.

Unfortunately, if the disease is detected at a late stage and glaucoma is already developing, even modern medicine cannot stop the process. However, being observed by an ophthalmologist and following all the prescriptions, you can somewhat slow down the development of the disease and live for a long time without feeling discomfort.

Everyone knows what blood pressure is, what it should be, and what threatens its pathological changes. Any person has access to a lot of information regarding the issues of hypertension and lowering blood pressure, methods of treating these diseases and their prevention. Pressure fluctuations are accompanied by characteristic symptoms, by the appearance of which a person can judge whether it has decreased or increased. Not to mention the fact that the pharmacy offers a wide variety of models of measuring devices that allow you to independently control the parameter.

But to say all this, in relation to intraocular pressure (IOP), unfortunately, is impossible. Few people will answer the question of what an indicator is, where it comes from and what it depends on, how its changes manifest themselves. In addition, IOP can be measured only in the ophthalmologist's office, for which you need to visit him annually for a preventive examination, and, you see, very few do this. Let's look into these issues.

In the anterior chamber of the eyeball, intraocular fluid, or aqueous humor, constantly produced in the organ of vision, accumulates, the outflow of which is carried out through a network of trabeculae (drainages) located right there. IOP is the pressure exerted by fluid on the sclera and cornea of the eye. The value of IOP is determined by the ratio of the amount of synthesized fluid and its outflow. In addition, the indicator depends on the intensity and pressure in the veins located in the episclera.

With the accumulation of excess intraocular fluid, IOP rises, the eyeball begins to put pressure on the optic nerve, which leads to damage and disruption of normal operation. The consequence of the violation is a gradual deterioration of visual function, loss of clarity of the peripheral image, up to a complete loss of vision.

An increase in IOP contributes to the disruption of normal metabolism in the eye tissues, has a destructive effect on the retina, can cause the death of the optic nerve and the development of various eye diseases. Another distinctive feature of the increase in the indicator is the asymptomatic course of the initial stages of the pathology, when a person does not know anything about his condition, and the lack of treatment leads to further progression of the disease.

Why does intraocular pressure increase?

The increase in the indicator can be caused by a variety of reasons. A short-term increase in IOP (transistor type) can cause hypertension, stress, increased fatigue, psycho-emotional disorders. With these disorders, there is also an increase in blood pressure.

The norm of intraocular pressure ranges from 11 to 21 units, and the indicator varies depending on the time of day, blood pressure level, heart rate, and respiratory rate. In a healthy person, IOP changes by no more than 5 units during the day.

By its nature, glaucoma is primary, secondary and congenital.

Primary glaucoma can be caused by:

Hypertension.
Endocrine disorders - hyper- and hypofunction of the thyroid gland, diabetes mellitus. With these diseases, the synthesis of hormones that affect the level of IOP is disrupted.
Diseases of the nervous system.
Kidney diseases and heart pathologies, in which there is an accumulation of excess fluid in the body.
Advanced age.
genetic predisposition.

Secondary glaucoma develops, most often, in one eye and is caused by a violation of the outflow of intraocular fluid. Its causes may be such eye pathologies:

Inflammatory diseases of various nature - scleritis, keratitis, uveitis.
Lens shift.
Cataract.
Neoplasms of various etiologies - the tumor mechanically compresses the eye tissues.
Traumatic eye injuries - as a result of injury, inflammation develops, contributing to the formation of congestive processes and swelling.

Congenital glaucoma develops as a result of defects in the embryonic development of the organs of vision, birth injuries and inflammatory processes.

An increase in IOP is also observed in eye hypertension, a benign pathology that does not cause atrophic changes in the optic nerve.

How does high IOP manifest?

A constantly elevated level of IOP contributes to the development of glaucoma, a pathology that includes a number of diseases of various etiologies and nature. What these disorders have in common is that they all lead to destruction of the optic nerve and permanent blindness. As already mentioned, the rise in IOP often does not cause the appearance of painful symptoms at all, and a person is not aware of vision problems until he begins to gradually lose it.

The main symptom of the disorder is gradual increasing blindness. In addition, the patient feels:

High eye fatigue - often people explain such an unpleasant sensation by fatigue, prolonged sitting in front of a computer, etc., but it is better, without waiting for more formidable manifestations, to go to an ophthalmologist and measure IOP.
Headache - pain is felt mainly in the temporal region.
Redness of the whites of the eyes.
Tearfulness - with high IOP, there is excessive hydration of the conjunctiva, while the eyes are constantly watery.
Cut in the eyes.

Intraocular pressure may increase after the use of certain pharmaceuticals. This disorder often develops with the simultaneous use of eye drops with antidepressant drugs and corticosteroids.

How to normalize the state?

If you suspect an elevated IOP level, you should immediately go to an ophthalmologist who will measure the parameter, if necessary, conduct additional examinations and prescribe a treatment course. The method of therapy is individually selected in each individual case and directly depends on the causes of the violation.

First of all, attention is paid to drug treatment with drugs of the following groups:

Prostaglandins - these drugs help to improve the circulation of fluid in the eyes, prevent the formation of congestive processes, and normalize the outflow of aqueous humor. These drops include Xalatan and Travatan.
β-blockers - inhibit the synthesis of intraocular fluid. These drugs include Timolol and Betoptik.
Sympathomimetics - contribute to a better outflow of fluid due to the effect on the nerve cells located in the eye. Of the funds in this group, adrenaline hydrochloride is most often prescribed.
Cholinomimetics - constrict the pupil.
carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

At the beginning, one drug is used for treatment, and with critically high IOP, two or more. Also, in case of inefficiency, it is possible to replace the drug. If the pathology is not amenable to conservative treatment, they resort to surgical intervention - microsurgical trabeculotomy and laser iridotomy.

Lowering IOP through exercise

Often, patients are interested in an ophthalmologist how to relieve eye pressure at home. For this, special exercises and some folk remedies are perfect.

For you need to regularly perform the following exercises:

Close your eyes, keep your head still and draw various shapes with your pupils.
Make head turns while blinking slowly, then close your eyes and continue moving. After a while, open each eye in turn.
Concentrate your eyes on a point, for example, a picture hanging on the wall or a calendar, then look sharply at another object and return to the first point with your eyes.

It is important to remember to blink often, especially when sitting in front of a TV or computer monitor for a long time.

You also need to make some adjustments to your usual diet, and daily include in it a sufficient amount of foods rich in vitamins A and C. The menu should include seafood and sea fish, tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, fresh citrus fruits, blueberries.

Glaucoma is a rather dangerous disease that gradually leads a person to blindness. To avoid this, it is necessary to regularly undergo preventive examinations by an ophthalmologist. Modern medicine offers a wide range of medicines that can cure an ailment. In addition, it is possible to treat eye pressure at home.

The main symptom of glaucoma is not immediately noticeable. The pressure inside the eye rises when the water balance in the organ of vision changes. Violated fluid production and its functioning. The contents of the eyeball begin to put pressure on the membranes of the eye. This leads to the fact that in the last stages of the disease, visual signals from the outside world do not reach the brain and the person stops seeing. The main causes of the dangerous symptom are:

violation of water metabolism;
physical and chemical injuries of the eye;
the use of medications - hormonal and antidepressants;
consequences of operations on the organ of vision;
atherosclerosis;
hypertension;
diseases associated with the cardiovascular system;
other severe pathologies of the eye.

At first, a person may not notice increased intraocular pressure. It doesn't show itself as anything. But there are a number of methods by which you can determine the presence of the disease.

Palpation. This method is indispensable when you need to urgently measure the pressure. The procedure is easily done in any conditions. You need to put your fingers on your forehead. Forefinger - to grope for a moving eyelid and slightly bring it up. The middle finger should touch the eyeball. If there is no pathology, then with very light pressure, a pulsation will be felt inside the eye. In the case of increased pressure, the impulse is felt only with strong pressure on the eyelid.
Wireless blood pressure monitor. This special device directs the flow of air over the eye towards the cornea. The method is suitable for carrying out the procedure at home.
Tonometry of the organ of vision. Medical equipment makes an impression of the eye by slightly pressing on the corneal substance. The procedure is performed in a hospital under anesthesia.

Main symptoms

Usually, treatment for high eye pressure at home is carried out when the signs of glaucoma become stronger and interfere with normal life. It is quite possible to reduce the progression of the disease if symptoms are noticed in time and treatment is started. Here are the characteristic signs of a developing disease:

the occurrence of pain in the region of the eyeball with a slight pressure on it;
blurred vision;
headaches in the forehead and temples;
redness of the mucous membrane;
the appearance of black dots before the eyes;
feeling of nausea.

If these symptoms are detected, you should immediately contact an ophthalmologist.

Folk ways

When glaucoma is detected, the doctor prescribes medications, as a rule, these are special drops (for example, Oftimol) and tablets. But you can lower eye pressure at home. Folk recipes are a great addition to the mandatory treatment.

Herbal formulations

Reducing eye pressure with folk remedies is very simple. It is enough to use the recommendations below.

Herbal compress. You will need to take half a glass of chopped nettle leaves and add one tsp to them. lily of the valley. Pour 1 tbsp into the resulting mixture. l. water. Make a compress and apply over the eyes. This composition is designed to relieve pain and lower blood pressure.
Aloe decoction. Cut off two leaves and soak in a glass of water. After 2 minutes, remove the greens and get rid of the juice, which must be poured into the main broth. This liquid should be instilled into the eyes 2 times a day.
Currant and rowan leaves will help relieve pressure. They must be thrown into a liter of boiling water and brewed. The infusion can be taken instead of tea throughout the day, which also helps to lower eye pressure.
The juice of the woodlice plant can bring down the symptoms of pressure. It is necessary to squeeze a liter of juice from the leaves and add 100 grams of vodka to it. Leave for 2 days. Take orally a quarter cup 2 times a day.

Gymnastics for the eyes

A good addition to the therapeutic course are exercises for the organ of vision. The eye will relax and water balance will be restored. The treatment complex itself is quite simple.

Set the stopwatch timer for 1 minute and blink your eyelids very often until the final call.
Do the same exercise at a slower pace.
Extend your hand in front of you and move your fingers, carefully following them with your eyes. Gradually zoom in on the image.
Mentally draw a square, a triangle, a figure eight, an asterisk and a bow in front of you with your eyes.
Sit in front of the window and notice a bright thing next to it. Look first into the distance to the street, then to this object. Do a few repetitions.
Make movements with the pupils in a circle and in different directions.

Treatment of increased intraocular pressure can be carried out with folk remedies, but do not forget about control examinations by an ophthalmologist. High eye pressure is fraught with terrible consequences, therefore, in case of any deterioration in the condition, you should inform your doctor about it.