What should glaucoma patients avoid eating?

Glaucoma patients should avoid high-salt foods, spicy and stimulating foods, greasy and heavy foods, excessive sweets, and alcoholic beverages. These types of food may affect intraocular pressure control or worsen eye discomfort, so dietary adjustments must be strictly made. If symptoms such as a sudden rise in eye pressure or increased eye pain occur, prompt medical attention is recommended.

1. High-salt foods: Excessive salt intake can lead to fluid retention in the body, increasing intraocular pressure and worsening glaucoma. Patients should reduce consumption of high-sodium foods such as pickled vegetables, cured meats, and processed snacks, and limit daily salt intake to less than 5 grams.

2. Spicy and stimulating foods: Spicy ingredients like chili peppers, Sichuan pepper, ginger, and garlic can stimulate blood vessel dilation in the eyes, potentially causing fluctuations in eye pressure and exacerbating ocular inflammatory responses, which is detrimental to disease stability. These foods should be avoided as much as possible.

3. Greasy and heavy foods: Overly fatty foods such as fatty meats, fried foods, and animal offal can increase blood viscosity, impair ocular blood circulation, and potentially worsen optic nerve damage. Intake of these foods should be reduced.

4. Excessive sweets: Sugary foods cause rapid spikes in blood glucose, affecting the osmotic pressure of aqueous humor and indirectly leading to fluctuations in intraocular pressure. They may also impair metabolic function. Glaucoma patients should limit their intake of cakes, candies, and sugary drinks.

5. Alcoholic beverages: Alcohol causes vasodilation, leading to a temporary increase in intraocular pressure. Long-term alcohol consumption can damage the optic nerve and exacerbate optic nerve deterioration in glaucoma. Patients should strictly limit or completely avoid alcohol consumption.

Diet should be light and easy to digest, with plenty of fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to ensure balanced nutrition. Meals should be taken regularly, avoiding overeating. When drinking water, it's better to take small amounts frequently to prevent sudden increases in intraocular pressure caused by consuming large volumes of liquid at once.