ocular hypertension and yoga study

Conditions: Ocular Hypertension; Sleep Disturbance; Stress; Anxiety; Depression

Summary: 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.


Eligibility criteria:
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