Benson Relaxation and Qur’an Recitation on Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Patients

Erwin Yulianti Rahayu; Retno  Setyawati; Mohammad Arifin  Noor

doi:10.31290/haj.v3i2.6516

Authors

Erwin Yulianti Rahayu Sultan Agung Islamic University, Semarang
Retno Setyawati Sultan Agung Islamic University
Mohammad Arifin Noor Sultan Agung Islamic University, Semarang

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31290/haj.v3i2.6516

Keywords:

Benson relaxation, qur'an recitation, intraocular pressure, galucoma, non-pharmacological therapy

Abstract

Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness, and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) is its principal modifiable risk factor; non-pharmacological adjuncts such as relaxation-based therapies have been proposed to support pharmacological IOP control. This study aimed to examine the effect of combined Benson relaxation therapy and Qur’an recitation on changes in IOP among glaucoma patients. A quasi-experimental design with a non-randomized intervention and control group (pretest–posttest) was used, involving 32 purposively sampled glaucoma outpatients at Sari Asih Hospital, Karawaci (16 per group), over October–December 2025. The intervention group received combined Benson relaxation and Qur’an recitation (Surah Al-Fatihah and Al-Insyirah) for 10–15 minutes per session; the control group received standard care only. IOP was measured before and after the intervention period using applanation tonometry. Mean IOP decreased from 23.69 to 21.01 mmHg in the intervention group and from 23.65 to 23.29 mmHg in the control group. The paired-sample t-test showed a significantly greater IOP reduction in the intervention group (mean difference –2.28 mmHg, 95% CI –3.38 to –1.18, p = 0.000) compared with the control group. These findings suggest that combined Benson relaxation and Qur’an recitation may serve as a feasible, low-cost adjunct to standard glaucoma care, although confirmation in larger, randomized trials is needed before broader clinical recommendation

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