Eye pressure, or intraocular pressure(IOP), might not be something we think about every day, but it plays a crucial role in our eye health. This guide is here to walk you through the basics, explaining why maintaining a healthy eye pressure range is important for everyone in the family. Whether it’s spotting the signs of what is considered dangerously high eye pressure or understanding the normal eye pressure range by age. It’s all about keeping our eyes healthy and our vision clear, ensuring we can enjoy everything from family movie nights to sunny days in the park.

What Exactly Is The Eye Pressure Range? 

Think of eye pressure, scientifically known as intraocular pressure (IOP), as the force exerted by the fluid inside your eye. This fluid, or aqueous humor, keeps your eye inflated and maintains its shape, much like air does for a balloon. The normal eye pressure range lies between 10 and 21 millimetres of mercury (mmHg), ensuring everything inside the eye functions smoothly. This means that eye pressure 19, eye pressure 17, and eye pressure 14 all fall within the normal, healthy range, reflecting a balanced state where the fluid inside the eye is adequately produced and drained, maintaining eye health and vision quality. However both eyes should have a similar eye pressure to be considered normal.

What Happens If You Have Too High Or Too Low Eye Pressure 

When eye pressure strays from this comfort zone, it can lead to concerns. High eye pressure, known as ocular hypertension, may not immediately affect your vision or cause discomfort, but it significantly increases the risk of developing glaucoma, a condition that can lead to vision loss if not addressed. This emphasises the importance of understanding the glaucoma pressure range. On the flip side, unusually low eye pressure might undermine the eye’s structural integrity, potentially leading to visual impairment, highlighting the need for awareness about the symptoms of low eye pressure.

What Causes High Eye Pressure? 

High eye pressure results from an imbalance in the production and drainage of the aqueous humor. Several factors can contribute to this imbalance, including: Overproduction of Aqueous Humor: When your eye makes more fluid than it can drain, pressure builds up. Drainage Issues: Sometimes, the eye’s drainage system, particularly the trabecular meshwork, becomes less efficient, leading to increased pressure. Medication Side Effects: Certain medicines can inadvertently increase eye pressure. Eye Conditions: Specific eye diseases, such as angle-closure glaucoma, demand immediate attention to manage pressure spikes.

What Causes Low Eye Pressure? 

Low eye pressure, medically termed ocular hypotony, occurs when the intraocular pressure (IOP) falls below the normal eye pressure range, typically less than 10 mmHg. Several factors can lead to this drop in pressure, impacting how our eyes function: Post-Surgical Effects: Certain eye surgeries can result in decreased eye pressure as a temporary or sometimes prolonged outcome. Eye Injuries: Trauma to the eye can disrupt its internal structure, leading to a leak or underproduction of aqueous humor, thus lowering pressure. Inflammatory Conditions: Eye inflammations, such as uveitis, can alter fluid production or increase drainage, affecting pressure levels. Medical Conditions: Systemic issues like dehydration or severe blood loss can indirectly lead to lower eye pressure by affecting overall body hydration and blood volume.

Normal Eye Pressure Range By Age 

Navigating the normal eye pressure by age reveals how eye health can evolve over time. Generally, a healthy eye pressure range is considered to be between 10 to 21 mmHg for most adults. However, nuances do exist based on age groups: Children and Young Adults: Typically, younger individuals can have lower eye pressure, with normal readings often on the lower end of the scale. Middle Age (40s to 60s): As individuals enter their 40s, there’s a slight upward trend in normal eye pressure levels. It’s not uncommon for the average to inch towards the higher end of the normal range. Seniors (70+ years old): The normal eye pressure for 70 year olds and beyond may still fall within the 10 to 21 mmHg range, but it’s closely monitored for any increases, as they are more susceptible to eye conditions like glaucoma.

How To Know If You Have Abnormal Eye Pressure 

For high eye pressure (ocular hypertension), symptoms might be elusive, but certain red flags, like severe headaches, blurred vision, or seeing halos around lights, could suggest that your eye pressure range might be outside the normal limits. These indicate a need for a closer look by your eye doctor. Conversely if you are wondering “what does low eye pressure feel like”, the symptoms of low eye pressure (ocular hypotony) might present as a shadowy vision or a slight blurring that’s easy to overlook but can indicate underlying issues such as inflammation or trauma.

How Do You Know For Sure?

Identifying high or low eye pressure isn’t something you can do with a home test. Instead, it’s detected through a comprehensive eye exam that includes: Tonometry: This non-invasive test measures intraocular pressure, helping to determine if you’re within the normal eye pressure range. It’s quick, painless, and can be a first line of defence against glaucoma and other eye health issues. Visual Field Test: Especially useful for detecting high eye pressure effects, this test checks for vision loss areas. Ophthalmoscopy: This examination of the optic nerve can offer insights into damage from elevated pressure. These diagnostic tools, alongside a detailed medical history and visual acuity testing, provide a comprehensive overview of your eye health. They help to determine if your eye pressure falls outside the normal eye pressure range, guiding necessary treatment strategies.

What Is Considered Dangerously High Eye Pressure 

As we discussed earlier, eye pressure 19, eye pressure 17, and eye pressure 14 all fall within the normal, healthy range, reflecting a balanced state. However, when eye pressure exceeds this average range, particularly hitting eye pressure 50 +, it’s considered dangerously high and referred to as an acute angle closure attack. This elevated level significantly increases the risk for glaucoma, a serious eye condition that can lead to irreversible vision loss if not promptly and properly managed. High eye pressure puts stress on the optic nerve, leading to damage over time without often showing early warning signs.

Treating High Eye Pressure 

When it comes to high eye pressure, early detection and understanding of normal eye pressure by age is necessary. These are key to preventing potential vision loss, most commonly associated with glaucoma, especially for those with eye pressure 50+. The treatment for elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is diverse, tailored to individual needs, and focuses on reducing the pressure to prevent damage to the optic nerve.

Medications

The first line of defence often includes prescription eye drops aimed at lowering eye pressure. These drops work by either decreasing the amount of fluid produced in the eye or improving its flow out of the eye. Your eye care specialist may need to try different types or combinations of drops to achieve the best results.

Laser Therapy

For cases where medication alone doesn’t bring eye pressure down to a safer range, laser treatment can be an effective next step. Laser trabeculoplasty is a procedure that helps improve the drainage of fluid from the eye, thus lowering pressure. It’s quick, generally painless, and can be performed in the doctor’s office.

Surgery

In more severe cases, surgical interventions may be necessary to create a new drainage path for the eye fluid or to relieve pressure directly from the eye. These procedures are typically considered when medication and laser therapy have not been sufficient.

The Relation Between Glaucoma and Eye Pressure 

High eye pressure range is a significant risk factor for glaucoma, a condition that can lead to vision loss by damaging the optic nerve. Understanding this connection is vital for protecting your vision and maintaining eye health. To dive deeper into glaucoma, how it impacts your eye health and to explore the latest treatment options, we invite you to read our comprehensive article on glaucoma.  This resource is designed to provide you with a thorough understanding of glaucoma, its causes, symptoms, and the advancements in treatment that can help manage this condition effectively.

Eye Tests at Lynbrook Optical

Maintaining regular eye checkups is vital, especially as we age. In addition to these general approaches, Lynbrook Optical provides personalised care plans tailored to each individual’s needs, focusing on the detection and diagnosis of high eye pressure. Our dedicated team is here to guide you through each step, ensuring you receive the care best suited to your unique needs. We use advanced tools like Tonometry and visual field tests to identify early signs of glaucoma. While we don’t perform surgeries, we ensure top care and facilitate referrals to glaucoma specialists if needed. Book an eye test with Lynbrook Optical now and ensure your eyes and your vision are at its best. Your eyes, after all, are your window to the world, and taking care of them is key to enjoying all the beautiful details life has to offer.