UWI study suggests fish and vegetables may ease glaucoma medication load

What sits on the dinner plate may quietly shape how well glaucoma is kept under control, with the potential to influence the number of medications a patient needs to manage the sight-stealing condition.

That is the central observation drawn by health researcher Genesis Edokpa in his paper, Association Between Diet and Number of Prescribed Medications in Glaucoma Patients, which was presented earlier this year at the Ministry of Health and Wellness' 16th Annual National Research Conference at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Edokpa, who is attached to the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR) at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, pointed out that glaucoma is among the foremost causes of permanent blindness globally and weighs especially heavily on Afro-Caribbean populations, who carry a risk six to eight times greater than that of Caucasians.

The disease is mainly marked by elevated pressure inside the eye, which gradually wears down the optic nerve and produces vision loss that cannot be reversed. Treatment in the clinic generally focuses on bringing that pressure down using medicated eye drops or, where necessary, surgery.

According to Edokpa, there are as many as six different classes of glaucoma medication, and a single patient may end up on more than one when a single drug is not doing the job.

"The number of medications used can serve as a proxy for how severe or difficult the disease is to control," he pointed out.

That reality has fuelled interest in whether everyday lifestyle decisions — diet in particular — could quietly support standard treatment. Edokpa noted that earlier work has hinted at a connection between certain foods and glaucoma risk, but no study had previously zeroed in on the link between eating habits and the number of medicines needed to keep the condition in check.

To close that gap, he carried out a cross-sectional study with 109 people who had primary open-angle glaucoma, the most widespread form of the illness. Participants were drawn from the University Hospital of the West Indies and a private ophthalmology practice in Kingston.

Through a detailed questionnaire on health and lifestyle, the team captured both prescribed medication and food intake over a three-month window. Foods were sorted into 10 groupings — from cereals and starchy staples through to vegetables, fruits, fish, and drinks such as coffee and tea — with participants logging how often and how much they ate so researchers could work out average daily consumption.

The analysis also factored in age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, physical activity, and how faithfully patients took their medication, since each of those could shape how serious the disease becomes.

When the numbers were crunched, most food groups showed little tie to medication use, but two stood out: fish and vegetables. Patients who ate more of both were notably less likely to be on multiple glaucoma drugs.

Edokpa said biology likely explains the pattern. Fish such as sardines, tuna, and mackerel carry generous amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which research has tied to lower pressure inside the eye. Leafy greens like callaloo, pak choi, spinach, and kale supply nitrates along with antioxidant vitamins that help fluid drain better from the eye, again easing pressure.

The findings hint that diet could play a backing role in glaucoma care and possibly lighten the treatment burden, though Edokpa was quick to underline that the work shows association rather than causation.

"Nutrition does not cure glaucoma but it may complement the traditional methods of treatment," he said.

The researcher acknowledged several caveats. The cross-sectional design rules out firm cause-and-effect conclusions, the sample size is modest, and dietary information was reported by participants themselves, leaving room for error. To sharpen future work, biological samples have already been gathered and are being held at CAIHR for more rigorous analysis once funding is secured.

Beyond the science, the study carries practical weight. In a region where glaucoma is both common and damaging, the prospect that ordinary changes at the table could trim disease burden is encouraging and within reach for many patients, giving them a sense of agency to go alongside their prescriptions.

Edokpa's work also lays the groundwork for further investigation, including how different foods might work together and whether dietary effects vary by sex or other demographic markers. With time, nutrition could move closer to becoming an established part of formal glaucoma management.

The message is uncomplicated: eye drops and surgery remain central, but what is on the plate may matter too. For people living with glaucoma, that prospect could prove both encouraging and life-changing.