Becca Wolford, Contributing Writer
Waking Times

Glaucoma is an eye disease that causes damage to the optic nerve. Generally, the damage is due to increased pressure on the nerve (intraocular pressure). It is the second-most common cause of blindness in the U.S.  According to the Glaucoma Research Foundation, there are over 60,000,000 people worldwide who suffer from glaucoma.

There are 4 types of glaucoma: chronic, acute, congenital, and secondary glaucoma. The most common type of glaucoma is open-angle (chronic) glaucoma.

“The front part of the eye is filled with a clear fluid called aqueous humor. This fluid is always being made behind the colored part of the eye (the iris). It leaves the eye through channels in the front of the eye in an area called the anterior chamber angle, or simply the angle.

Anything that slows or blocks the flow of this fluid out of the eye will cause pressure to build up in the eye. This pressure is called intraocular pressure (IOP). In most cases of glaucoma, this pressure is high and causes damage to the optic nerve.

Open-angle (chronic) glaucoma is the most common type of glaucoma.

• The cause is unknown. An increase in eye pressure occurs slowly over time. The pressure pushes on the optic nerve. (Genetics and ethnicity may be factors in the incidence of glaucoma.)
  
• Open-angle glaucoma tends to run in families. Your risk is higher if you have a parent or grandparent with open-angle glaucoma. People of African descent are at particularly high risk for this disease.” (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

As is often the case, with open-angle (chronic) glaucoma, most people have no symptoms. The damage is already severe when the vision starts to deteriorate. One of the signs that there may be glaucoma is when the person develops tunnel vision or problems with peripheral vision.

Chronic glaucoma cannot be cured, but it can be treated.

The general treatment for those suffering from chronic glaucoma is eye drops or some type of medication (pills) to lower the pressure in the eyes. Other treatments may include laser therapy or surgery.

There are some factors that may contribute to ‘secondary glaucoma’ – long-term use of steroids, restricted blood flow due to diabetic retinopathy, and ocular trauma.

“Natural compounds of research interest in glaucoma prevention or treatment include: fish oil, omega 3 fatty acids (found in hempseed), alpha lipoic acid, vitamin E (found in hempseed), cannabinoids,  carnitine, coenzyme Q10, curcurmin, dark chocolate, folic acid, L-glutathione, magnesium, melatonin, and resveratrol.” (wikipedia)

One nutrient that has shown promise in treating (and preventing glaucoma) is Omega 3 fatty acid. Hempseed has the perfect 3:1 ratio of Omega fatty acids needed by the human body.  Omega 3 fatty acids reduce ocular pressure. Omega 3 increases the flow of the aqueous humor (the fluid behind the iris), thus decreasing blockage and pressure on the optical nerve.

Omega 3 fatty acid (DHA) is also a major structural lipid (fat) of the retina.

Omega 3 fatty acid just may be the nutrient you need to prevent glaucoma.

About the Author

Becca Wolford is a writer, entrepreneur, artist, reiki practitioner, and hemp activist. She has experienced first-hand the nutritional and healing benefits of hemp and her passion is learning, writing, and educating others about the benefits of hemp – benefits that encompass nutritional health for humans, a healthy environment, and a healthier economy.

Becca also distributes Versativa, an amazing raw, clean, hemp-based nutritional supplement and Restoration90, a raw, clean, nutritional product with marine phytoplankton, hemp, and essential nutrients for optimum health. Please support her at her excellent blog Hemphealer.com.

This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It’s okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.

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