How your pillow could be affecting your eye health

Health & Fitness
28 Jan 2026 • 8:55 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • A new study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that sleeping with two pillows may increase internal eye pressure in glaucoma patients.
  • Researchers found that eye pressure rose in over two-thirds (67 per cent) of patients when lying on pillows compared to lying flat.
  • The study indicates this increased pressure may be due to the compression of the jugular vein, which takes blood from the head back to the heart.
  • Ultrasounds on healthy volunteers confirmed that a high-pillow position led to significant constriction of the jugular vein's lumen.
  • Experts suggest that glaucoma patients could benefit from avoiding sleeping postures that cause this compression, though further research is required.

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