A recent U.S. study reveals that exercise may delay the onset and progression of macular degeneration while potentially preventing common blinding eye diseases like glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy.
Researchers at the University of Virginia School of Medicine conducted two mouse studies showing exercise reduced harmful vascular overgrowth in the eyes by 45%. Further validation confirmed exercise decreased ocular vascular issues by 32%.
Dr. Bradley Geilfend, a researcher at the University of Virginia's Center for Advanced Vision Science, noted that exercise's vision-enhancing effects likely stem from multiple factors, including increased blood flow to the eyes. In fact, physical activity not only helps slow age-related vision decline in middle-aged and older adults but also aids in preventing myopia among adolescents. An earlier study showed that children who spend just 14 hours per week playing outdoors in natural light can reduce their risk of developing myopia.