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GLAUCOMA
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Exercise and Glaucoma
Prevention is a key word in glaucoma management.
Other risk factors such as family
history, race, advancing age, diabetes, nearsightedness and
high blood pressure are more difficult to measure and in some
cases (family history!) impossible to change. Some factors
we can influence, however. There is some recent evidence suggesting
that regular exercise can reduce eye pressure. As an added
benefit, regular exercise can have a positive impact on other
glaucoma risk factors such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
Although medical research has known for a long time that the
eye pressure is reduced for a few minutes following a single
session of exercise, new studies suggest that regular exercise
can lower eye pressure for a longer period.
These studies involved patients with high eye pressure who
also had sedentary life-styles. Exercising for three months,
they had an average of 20 percent reduction of their eye pressures.
This beneficial lowering of the eye pressure could be maintained
for several years, but was lost when the regular exercising
stopped!
These studies involved healthy, but sedentary, patients who
were first tested to determine if it was safe to exercise
and to determine proper intensity of exercise. Exercise sessions
were four times per week, and involved stationary cycling
for 40 minutes each session. Measurable improvements in eye
pressure and physical conditioning were seen by three months.
These beneficial effects could be maintained by continuing
to exercise at least three times per week. Not everyone in
the study could continue to routinely exercise, and the lowering
of eye pressure was lost if exercise was stopped for more
than two weeks!
Routine exercise has been prescribed for prevention and treatment
of a number of medical problems, such as high blood pressure,
diabetes, heart disease, emphysema, osteoporosis, and depression.
While it does not offer a cure, regular exercise by reducing
several risk factors for glaucoma, may be a useful addition
to the prevention of visual loss from glaucoma.
Those considering beginning an exercise program should discuss
it with their eye doctor. The doctor may suggest consulting
a family practice physician or internist first to determine
if it is safe to exercise and at what intensity. Some forms
of glaucoma (such as closed-angle glaucoma) may not be amenable
to effects of exercise. Other forms of glaucoma (for example,
pigmentary glaucoma) may actually develop a temporary rise
in eye pressure after exercising vigorously. Only your eye
doctor can assess the effects of the exercise on your eye
pressure. And remember—exercise does not replace medications
or doctor visits!
Stationary cycling, as used in the studies mentioned, is easy
to do and has low risks for injury. Other forms of exercise
and less intense exercise may be acceptable, but have not
been carefully studied. Even walking can briefly lower eye
pressure. Try walking instead of driving, or go for a stroll
with your family or friends. Remember, exercise programs need
to be regular and can require a great deal of effort to maintain.
So keep it simple! Keeping physically fit should be easy and
fun, and it may help reduce your risk for glaucoma!
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