FACT CHECK: Can sleeping with a high pillow setup lead to glaucoma? 

CLAIM:

Sleeping with a high pillow setup can increase intraocular (eye) pressure and contribute to glaucoma. The post further suggests that using two pillows to elevate the head may reduce blood flow to the eye through jugular vein compression, although it acknowledges that more research is needed.

FACT:

Current evidence suggests that sleeping position can temporarily influence intraocular pressure (IOP), particularly in people with glaucoma. However, there is no strong evidence that sleeping with a high pillow causes glaucoma in healthy individuals. Experts say the available studies show an association, not a cause-and-effect relationship, and more long-term research is needed.

In a recent Instagram post by 'allhealthynetwork', which has over 2.4 lakh followers, the page claims that sleeping with a high pillow setup may increase eye pressure and contribute to glaucoma. 

The post mentions that, "Sleeping with a 'high pillow' setup can increase eye pressure and contribute to glaucoma." 

The caption of the post adds that sleep posture "may play a role in eye pressure for people with glaucoma." It cites a 2026 study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology, stating that researchers compared a "high-pillow" position (2 pillows creating a 20–35° angle) with other head positions and found that the high-pillow setup "was linked to increased intraocular pressure and decreased ocular perfusion pressure." 

According to the caption, the researchers suggested that this association "could be related to jugular vein compression, which may affect blood flow and pressure between the head and heart, including the eye." However, it also notes that this was "an association (not proof of cause)," and that "more studies are needed." 

What research says

Research suggests that body and head position can influence intraocular pressure (IOP)—the pressure inside the eye. However, current evidence does not show that sleeping with a high pillow causes glaucoma. Most studies have examined how different sleeping positions affect IOP in healthy individuals or people who already have glaucoma. 

A 2013 study investigated how various sleeping positions affected IOP and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) in healthy young adults. Researchers measured IOP while participants were sitting, lying on their back (supine), lying on either side (lateral decubitus), and lying face down with the head turned. The study found that "Mean IOP of right and left eyes while sitting was significantly lower than that measured in each recumbent position." In addition, "Mean IOP of the dependent eyes was higher than that of the nondependent eyes in the lateral decubitus positions and in the prone positions with head turns." The researchers concluded that "All sleeping positions of head and body resulted in an elevation of IOP" compared with sitting, while noting that "Further research is needed under nocturnal conditions in a sleep laboratory." 

Building on these findings, a 2015 study examined whether head position while lying on the side influenced IOP in 20 patients with medically treated primary open-angle glaucoma (OAG). The researchers reported that "IOP was higher in the dependent eyes than in the nondependent eyes in lateral decubitus posture, regardless of the head position." They also found that "Lower head position increased the IOP of dependent eyes, compared with the neutral or higher head position." The authors concluded that "Adjustment of the height of a pillow may help mitigate IOP elevations resulting from lying on the side with a low or no pillow in glaucoma patients." 

Further evidence came from a 2018 experimental study, which estimated eye pressure when participants simulated sleeping with one eye pressed against a pillow. The researchers observed that "Turning the head into a pillow gave a large and clinically significant increase in the estimated IOP in the simulated sleep position." Interestingly, when participants wore protective eye shields, "the increase in estimated IOP was almost absent." The study suggested that reducing direct pressure on the eye during sleep "may be a treatment option in glaucoma," although the findings were based on a simulated sleep setting rather than normal overnight sleep. 

A 2019 study then explored whether habitual side sleeping affected glaucoma progression in 28 patients with bilateral primary open-angle glaucoma. Participants rested on their own pillows while researchers measured changes in IOP. The study found that "The IOP of the lower-sided eye increased further" when the side-lying position was maintained for an additional 25 minutes. Moreover, "Compared with nonprogressed eyes, progressed eyes exhibited a greater IOP elevation when the side-sleeping patients with OAG were rested in the lateral decubitus posture on the ipsilateral side." These findings suggest that prolonged side sleeping may influence IOP fluctuations in some glaucoma patients, although the study did not establish that sleeping position causes glaucoma progression. 

More recently, a 2026 study published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology investigated the effect of a high-pillow position - with the head elevated by 20–35° using two pillows - in 144 patients with glaucoma. Compared with lying flat, the high-pillow position was associated with "significantly elevated IOP, increased 24-hour IOP fluctuation and reduced ocular perfusion pressure (OPP)." Ultrasonography performed in healthy volunteers also showed "significant constriction of both internal and external jugular venous lumen" in the high-pillow position. The researchers concluded that "Compared with the supine position, the high-pillow position is associated with increased IOP and decreased OPP in patients with glaucoma, which may be linked to jugular venous compression." However, they emphasised that these were preliminary associations and that "further studies are needed to validate these preliminary associations." 

Expert insights 

Commenting on the claim, Dr Ashwin Santosh Shetty, Consultant - Ophthalmology, Aster CMI Hospital, Bengaluru, said that the viral post is only partly accurate. According to him, some studies suggest that sleeping with the head elevated using a high pillow may temporarily increase intraocular pressure (IOP) in certain individuals, particularly those who already have glaucoma. However, he stressed that this should not be interpreted as evidence that high pillows cause glaucoma. 

"Glaucoma is a complex eye disease influenced by several factors, including age, genetics, eye pressure, blood flow to the optic nerve and other medical conditions," Dr Shetty said. "Current evidence shows an association between certain sleeping positions and short-term changes in eye pressure, but it does not prove that pillow height alone leads to glaucoma." He added that more long-term research is needed before firm conclusions or lifestyle recommendations can be made for the general population. 

Discussing the 2026 study cited in the viral post, Dr Shetty noted that its findings should be interpreted with caution because the research was conducted only in people who already had glaucoma. He explained that patients with glaucoma have damaged optic nerves and may respond differently to changes in body position than healthy individuals. 

According to Dr Shetty, the findings cannot be directly applied to healthy people. "While healthy individuals may also experience small changes in eye pressure with different sleeping positions, there is no strong evidence that these temporary changes increase the risk of developing glaucoma," he said. He added that further studies involving healthy participants are needed to determine whether similar effects occur and whether they have any long-term clinical significance. 

Addressing the proposed mechanism involving jugular vein compression, Dr Shetty said that it is scientifically plausible but remains a hypothesis rather than an established fact. He explained that certain head and neck positions may compress the jugular veins, affecting blood drainage from the head and temporarily increasing pressure inside the eye. However, "the study does not directly prove that jugular vein compression is the cause of the observed increase in intraocular pressure." He further emphasised that temporary increases in eye pressure alone are not sufficient to establish that sleeping with a high pillow causes glaucoma, as the disease develops through multiple interacting factors over time. 

Regarding practical advice, Dr Shetty said that there is currently no recommendation for healthy individuals to change their pillow height solely to prevent glaucoma. However, people who already have glaucoma or are at high risk should discuss their sleeping posture with their ophthalmologist, particularly if their eye pressure remains difficult to control. "The most effective way to protect vision is through regular eye examinations, early diagnosis and consistent use of prescribed glaucoma medications," he said. He also advised maintaining healthy blood pressure, controlling diabetes, avoiding smoking and attending regular follow-up visits. "Any changes in sleeping position should be considered supportive measures rather than primary treatment. Patients should not stop or alter their glaucoma treatment based on social media claims or a single research study." 

This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS