Sleeping without pillows may help lower high internal eye pressure, the build-up of which causes optic nerve damage and glaucoma—the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide—in people with the condition.
These are the findings of the preliminary research, published online in the ‘British Journal of Ophthalmology’. Stacked pillows alter neck position, which may compress the jugular vein, thereby preventing the natural drainage of aqueous humor, explained the researchers.
This fluid nourishes eye tissues without a blood supply like the cornea and lens and helps maintain eye shape and pressure.
Internal eye pressure, formally known as intraocular pressure, or IOP for short, fluctuates in response to changes in body posture, and the transition from an upright to a supine position during sleep represents the primary contributor to its increase at night, note the researchers.
