Exercise is strongly linked to better outcomes for people with these conditions:

Macular degeneration

Myopia (short sight)

Glaucoma

Cataracts

Diabetic eye disease

Dry eye disease

How?

Much of the damage done to our bodies, including our eyes, is caused by OXIDATIVE STRESS, which is when molecules called free radicals run around our bodies causing damage at the cellular level.

What kind of exercise?

There are all sorts of different exercise types. The easiest one for most people to achieve is to go for a walk. If you’re walking as fast as you would if you were walking a medium-sized dog, that’s moderate exercise. You can get similar effects from swimming or cycling. Moderate exercise is all that’s required if people want to reduce their risk of the eye diseases above. 150 minutes per week is the recommendation, so that’s half an hour per day and a break on the weekends.

Among other things, exercise regulates:

• intraocular pressure (IOP) which is a key feature of glaucoma, and

• the molecules produced by our bodies, one of which is called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF provides PROTECTION against nerve damage, which is where damage to vision comes from in glaucoma.

When we exercise, IOPs go DOWN, and BDNF levels INCREASE. Care is needed with glaucoma risk - HIGH INTENSITY exercise has actually been shown to INCREASE the risk of glaucoma. Moderate exercise is what’s recommended. Exercise has been shown quite clearly to REDUCE INFLAMMATION. Inflammation is the common denominator in many eye diseases, and also in systemic diseases that can cause eye damage, such as high blood pressure and diabetes, and autoimmune conditions such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis

To learn more, click the PDF below!

Exercise and Eye Health: Julie Newport at ICU Optometry Bardon.