Sleeping without a pillow may help protect vision in glaucoma patients: Study

A new scientific study has suggested that sleeping without a pillow may help protect the eyesight of people living with glaucoma, a condition caused by elevated fluid pressure inside the eye that can damage the optic nerve and gradually lead to vision loss or blindness.

The research, conducted by a team from several institutions in China, including Zhejiang University and the Zhejiang Research Center for Ophthalmology, was published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. The findings indicate that using pillows to raise the head during sleep may increase eye pressure to potentially harmful levels.

As part of the study, scientists monitored intraocular pressure in 144 glaucoma patients every two hours over a 24-hour period. Results showed that when participants lay flat, their eye pressure tended to decrease. However, when they elevated their heads using two pillows during sleep, eye pressure rose significantly.

Researchers also found that elevating the head can reduce blood flow to the eye, which may negatively affect the optic nerve that depends on a steady supply of oxygen and nutrients. In addition, the raised position may put pressure on neck veins, interfering with the natural drainage of fluids from the eye.

The study indicated that younger patients and those with open-angle glaucoma appeared to be more affected by sleeping with their heads elevated on pillows.

However, researchers stressed that avoiding pillows is not a substitute for prescribed medications or laser treatments. Instead, maintaining a straight neck position during sleep may serve as a simple supportive measure to help manage eye pressure overnight, alongside standard medical care.