5 Tips for Living Better with Glaucoma
Featured Expert
Updated March 26, 2026
If you are one of nearly 100 million people worldwide who has been diagnosed with glaucoma, it’s important to know that you can take steps to slow or prevent its progression, especially if it is detected early.
Key Points
- Adherence to medication is the most important way to prevent worsening of glaucoma
- There are several ways to reduce the potential of falls in the home, a common side effect of loss of vision from glaucoma.
- Lean on the support of family, friends and your medical team to help manage living with glaucoma.
Adhere to Medications
You may need to take a variety of eyedrops throughout the day to manage your glaucoma. Maintain a schedule to take the proper dosage on time. Set alarms and alerts on devices you keep close, such as your cellphone, watch, computer or tablet for reminders throughout the day. Be sure to tell your doctor if you have any problems with your medications and dosages.
“Strict adherence to medication is the single most important thing a patient with glaucoma can do to keep their vision from worsening,” Yohannan says.
In addition to eyedrops, drop-free options are available, and in many cases may be more effective. These include laser procedures such as selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT) or surgery to lower pressure. Ask your eye doctor whether these alternatives might be right for you.
Avoid Falls and Accidents
In some patients, glaucoma may increase the risk of falling and accidents due to loss of side vision. What can you do to avoid the risk?
- Clearly mark boundaries in your home. Areas such as doorways, drawers, counters and table edges can be identified with bright or contrasting colored tape or paint.
- Organize commonly used utensils and appliances. Place them in areas where they are easily accessible.
- Use a technique called scanning. Scanning involves a careful look at your surroundings by moving your head from left to right and top to bottom in order to cover your entire field of vision before walking. This can help identify things such as steps and other objects that might be missed along the journey.
Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Exercise can improve the health of the eye as well as the rest of your body. Research shows that moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking or swimming several times per week, may help lower eye pressure and is very beneficial for overall health. Be sure to consult with your doctor about your exercise routine.
“While working out is great, you may want to avoid exercises such as yoga positions that require your head to be below your heart or lifting very heavy weights that require you to hold your breath,” Yohannan says. “These may be increases in eye pressure, which is an important risk factor for the worsening of glaucoma.”
Continue Reading
People with low vision may find reading challenging, but there are tools that can help, such as:
- Handheld magnifying devices that enhance labels or text in books.
- Audiobooks, which allow you to enjoy books without having to read.
- Online audio readers that read text from websites to you.
- Web browser tools that adjust font size and contrast on your computer or tablet for easier reading.
- AI-powered smart glasses and smartphone apps that can read text aloud, describe your surroundings, and help with navigation.
Embrace Your Support Team
Seek help from friends and family for transportation and other means of support. A support team can help with many of the above tips, including medication management and healthy habits.
Most importantly, stay in contact with your glaucoma care team with regular checkups, and keep them up to date on the status of your condition. They can help best manage your treatment plan when needed or involve other eye care teams, such as a low vision specialist, for rehabilitation.
“Glaucoma is often a very manageable disease,” Yohannan says. “The vast majority of patients will not go blind from glaucoma if they maintain good follow-up with their care team and follow their recommendations.”
Medically reviewed by Jithin Yohannan, M.D., M.P.H.
