Khaberni - A new study has warned against sleeping on an elevated pillow, or two pillows, as this height can increase the intraocular pressure in patients with glaucoma, posing risks to the ability to see.
According to "The Independent" newspaper, researchers found that eye pressure increased in more than two-thirds of the patients (67%) when sleeping on two pillows compared to sleeping on a flat surface.
The study suggests that this increase in pressure could result from compression of the jugular vein, which carries blood from the head to the heart.
Sleeping on an elevated pillow
Ultrasound examinations conducted on healthy volunteers confirmed that sleeping in an elevated pillow position leads to a noticeable constriction in the jugular vein cavity.
Experts suggest that glaucoma patients, in particular, may benefit from avoiding sleeping positions that cause this compression, with more research needed.
According to "The British Journal of Ophthalmology" which published the study, for further research, the researchers studied the effect of sleeping on two medium-sized pillows, with the head elevated at an angle between 20 and 35 degrees, on the intraocular pressure in 144 glaucoma patients.
Of the participants, 70 had normal pressure glaucoma, 9 had elevated eye pressure, and 65 had primary open-angle glaucoma, the most common and slowest progressing form of this condition, often caused by blockage of the drainage canal of aqueous humor.
The tests showed that sleeping without pillows may help reduce elevated intraocular pressure, which accumulates causing optic nerve damage and glaucoma (glaucoma), the leading cause of permanent blindness worldwide.
