Ocular Hypertension And Yoga Study
| Status: | Completed |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Anxiety, Depression, High Blood Pressure (Hypertension), Insomnia Sleep Studies |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Cardiology / Vascular Diseases, Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 90 |
| Updated: | 5/5/2014 |
| Start Date: | January 2013 |
| End Date: | December 2013 |
| Contact: | Pamela Jeter, PhD |
| Email: | pjeter1@jhmi.edu |
| Phone: | 410-502-6434 |
The investigators aim to pilot test the efficacy of a yoga intervention designed
specifically for individuals with ocular hypertension. The investigators would like to find
out if a combination of breathing, postures and meditation may help to reduce intraocular
pressure in the short term after each yoga session, and also long-term across an 8-week
program. Subjects will participate in the yoga intervention sessions led by Dr. Pamela Jeter
once a week at the investigators center, and will be asked to practice at home at least
twice a week using a audio CD.
specifically for individuals with ocular hypertension. The investigators would like to find
out if a combination of breathing, postures and meditation may help to reduce intraocular
pressure in the short term after each yoga session, and also long-term across an 8-week
program. Subjects will participate in the yoga intervention sessions led by Dr. Pamela Jeter
once a week at the investigators center, and will be asked to practice at home at least
twice a week using a audio CD.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18+
- Diagnosis of ocular hypertension not requiring treatment of IOP
- IOP in at least one eye ≥ 21 mm Hg
- Normal Humphrey 24-2 or 30-2 visual fields for both eyes as determined by the
patient's glaucoma specialist
- Best-corrected visual acuity better than 20/40 in both eyes
- Being healthy to the extent that participation in yoga therapy would not exacerbate
any existing disease conditions;
- Participants do not engage in athletic activity on a regular basis (i.e. are
sedentary)
- Able and willing to participate on a weekly basis for the 11-week intervention;
- Informed consent
Exclusion Criteria:
VISUAL HISTORY
- Any visual field loss in either eye consistently detected with Humphrey Visual Field
30-2 or 24-2
- Inability to understand study procedures or communicate responses to visual stimuli
in a consistent manner (cognitive impairment)
- Previous intraocular surgery, except for uncomplicated extracapsular cataract
extraction with posterior chamber-intraocular lens implant and no escape of vitreous
to the anterior chamber, strabismus, cosmetic eyelid surgery, and radial keratotomy
- Secondary causes of elevated IOP, including ocular and systemic corticosteroid use
- Angle closure glaucoma or anatomically narrow angles—75% of the circumference of the
angle must be grade 2 or more by Shaffer criteria
- Pigmentary glaucoma
- Congenital glaucoma
- Other diseases that cause visual field loss or optic disc abnormalities
- Difference in cup-disc ratios (horizontal by contour) between the two eyes of >0.2
- Background diabetic retinopathy, defined as at least 1 microaneurysm seen on
ophthalmoscopy with dilated pupil, or any retinal hemorrhage
SPECIFIC SYSTEMIC DISEASES/CONDITIONS
- Abdominal Aneurism
- Cancer, metastatic
- Fibromyalgia, severe
- Inflammatory autoimmune diseases (e.g. Lupus, Rheumatoid arthritis, Scleroderma)
- Other disabling chronic conditions (e.g., disabling heart or lung disease, diabetic
neuropathy, receiving treatment for hepatitis)
- A life-threatening or debilitating disease
BACK PROBLEM OF COMPLICATED NATURE, INCLUDING MEDICO-LEGAL ISSUES
- Seeking/receiving compensation/litigation for back pain
- Previous back surgery, ever
- Low back pain that has lasted > 1 month
- Severe pain when bending or twisting spine
- Sciatica
- Discitis or Disk disease
- Fracture of vertebra
- Infectious cause of back pain
- Scoliosis, severe or progressive
- Spinal stenosis
- Spondylolisthesis
- Anklyosing spondylitis
CONDITIONS THAT MIGHT MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO ATTEND THE CLASSES OR PRACTICE AT HOME.
- Deafness or severe hearing problems
- Psychoses, major
- Schedules do not permit participation in classes or home practice (including planning
to move out of town)
- Paralysis
- Unable to walk two city blocks
- Unable to get up and down from floor
- Lack of transportation
- Any planned surgery during the upcoming study period
CONDITIONS/CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MIGHT CONFOUND TREATMENT EFFECTS OR INTERPRETATION OF DATA
- Pregnant or nursing women as determined by patient self-report
- Use of psychotropic medication
- Consumption of more than three alcoholic beverages per day
- Smoking more than 10 cigarettes per day
- Recent substance abuse
CONDITION WOULD MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO PROVIDE FULLY INFORMED CONSENT
- Dementia
- Long or short-term memory loss
- Unable to read or speak English
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