Can congenital glaucoma be cured?

Congenital glaucoma is acquired from birth. For patients with congenital glaucoma, they should pay attention to some adjustments and improvements in their lives. First of all, they should pay attention to regulating their emotions, develop a good mentality, quit smoking and drinking, and keep warm.

1. Be in a good mood

Many glaucoma patients have this experience: if you are in a bad mood today, your intraocular pressure will be higher. Indeed, glaucoma is a typical psychosomatic disease. Emotional fluctuations can not only easily induce acute attacks of angle-closure glaucoma, but also intraocular pressure fluctuations, which can increase blood pressure, cause vasospasm, and further damage the optic nerve. Glaucoma patients should maintain a good mood and try to cultivate their sentiments and stabilize their emotions through activities such as piano, chess, calligraphy, painting, music, opera, and travel.

2. Unlimited drinking water

Many glaucoma patients believe that if they have glaucoma, they should drink less water, and even if they are thirsty, they should limit their water intake. In fact, this idea is wrong! There are two main reasons for this: ① Many patients believe that the key problem of glaucoma is increased intraocular pressure, and intraocular pressure is closely related to aqueous humor. "Aqueous humor" means "water", so drinking less water or no water can control intraocular pressure; ② Before the 1980s, there was a test called "drinking water test", which was to induce increased intraocular pressure by drinking a large amount of water in a short period of time (drinking 1000 ml in 5 minutes). In fact, the aqueous humor related to intraocular pressure does not come directly from the water in the blood, but is actively secreted by the special tissue structure of the eye. The "drinking water test" has long been abolished because of its unreliable results and many interfering factors. Thirst is a physiological signal of the body, indicating that the body is short of water and should be supplemented in time. The optic nerve damage of some glaucoma patients is related to poor blood circulation (high blood viscosity, etc.), and drinking water appropriately is more beneficial than harmful.

3. No dietary restrictions

Glaucoma patients do not need to avoid certain foods, and their diet should be light. They should avoid high-fat and high-sugar foods, and eat more foods rich in vitamins (such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, etc.). Glaucoma patients do not need to "tonify" themselves after surgery, firstly because the surgery is minor and the body is basically not damaged; secondly, an effective aqueous humor drainage channel should be established after surgery, and the filtration wound should not heal too quickly, especially for those with scar constitution, who should eat a lighter diet.

4. Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption

Glaucoma patients must quit smoking, because smoking will increase the damage to the visual nerves. Glaucoma patients who have a habit of drinking and whose faces turn red after drinking (capillary dilation) can drink some red wine appropriately, but no more than 50 ml per day is appropriate. If the face turns blue or white after drinking (vasoconstriction), do not drink.

5. Keep warm

In winter, the intraocular pressure of glaucoma patients is higher than in summer. Angle-closure glaucoma is also more common in cold seasons. To avoid the onset of the disease, glaucoma patients or susceptible people with a family history of glaucoma should keep warm in cold seasons.