Pillow

[haraba]

I was diagnosed with normal tension glaucoma in February 2022. I was started on Latanoprost and now Brinzolamide has been added. I have been advised to sleep with a raised pillow or raised head-of-the-bed.

I have slept with a flat pillow all my life (62 now) and will try to gradually increase the thickness of the pillow. Any experience or advice regarding head position and pillows when sleeping ? Thanks.

[Booflak]

Hi haraba,

Use wedge pillow, two normal pillows can make it worse. Protective glasses can help too

There is an older post about it: healthunlocked.com/glaucoma....

[haraba in reply to Booflak]

Thank you Booflak. I have read the post through the link that you kindly included. (Not sure about the protective glasses - evidence, type and the opinion of ophthalmologists).

[Booflak in reply to haraba]

About the protective glasses: reviewofoptometry.com/news/...

[haraba in reply to Booflak]

Thank you Booflak for the 2018 article from the USA based"Review of Optometry".

[Booflak in reply to haraba]

👍

[Toby_from_London]

Hi haraba,

I purchased a V shaped body pillow after my eye surgery which raises your head slightly and also stops you moving around too much as I didn’t want to roll over on my bad eye during the night.

I brought mine from Amazon and find it quite comforting; I still use it now.

[haraba in reply to Toby_from_London]

Toby, Thank you for your advice.

[Nonswimmer]

I have found a memory foam pillow great because my head does not sink into one as with the usual pillow.

[haraba in reply to Nonswimmer]

Thank you. I have only had a very flat pillow for about 60 years and found the advice to now have the head propped up in bed daunting ! Was it difficult to get used to the memory foam pillow without neck strain/ache ?

[Nonswimmer in reply to haraba]

No, I am astmatic used to three pillows! the memory foam was expensive firm not hard but supportive, we have placed three big cushions between the mattress and the base near the headboard easier than raising the whole bed.

[Stairs10]

I found that raising only head with an extra pillow caused pains in my neck, shoulder etc. It's ok when I have the pillow under my shoulders as well. The wedge pillows that other posters recommend sound a good idea.

Good luck

[Gyfers]

I recently tried raising the head of my bed on bricks as I'd heard that was helpful to lower pressures. But I've developed a really sore lower back since I did that, and I think the raised bed might be the culprit! So for now I'm back to having it flat to see if I get relief from the back pain.