Studies show exercise could save your eyesight
We already know the many benefits exercise has on your muscles, bones, heart and mental health, but did you know that exercise has also been positively linked to eye health? It seems that those who partake in regular exercise are at a lower risk for vision loss and degenerative eye disease.
In one study published in The Journal of Neuroscience, researchers of the Atlanta Veterans Administration Medical Center and Emory University found a correlation between exercise and eye health using mice as subjects. The scientists had the first group of mice run an hour on a wheel per day and left the other mice sedentary. They then took half of the mice from each group, and exposed them to harshly bright lighting. Only the mice in the latter, sedentary group were found to have had 75 percent of their light-detecting neurons die during the experiment.
In 2009, another study was published in the British Journal of Ophthalmology. During this study, which took place over the span of 15 years, scientists in Wisconsin, USA examined close to 4,000 men and women, all aged from 43 to 86 years. Participants revealed information about their diet and exercise habits and had eye exams taken routinely every five years. Researchers took into account factors that could affect age-related macular degeneration (AMD) such as age, weight and cholesterol. Participants who lead an active lifestyle were found to be 70 per cent less likely to have AMD compared to those who did not.
Talk about keeping your goals in sight; it’s hard to ignore results like these, so if you needed one more reason to stick to your exercise routine, this may be one.