Boost Eye Health with Exercise: Top Tips for Aging Vision

The Importance of Exercise for Your Eye Health

A little exercise can indeed go a long way. It’s well known that regular physical activity can reduce the risk of diseases, aiding in combating conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. But did you know that exercise can also improve your eye health?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 12 million Americans who are 40 years and older suffer from some sort of vision impairment. As age progresses, eyes naturally weaken and eyesight can deteriorate. However, regular exercise can help protect your eyes. Here are two ways how fitness can safeguard your vision and make your next visit to the eye doctor more pleasant.

Exercise Can Prevent Eye Diseases

With age, eyes become more susceptible to diseases, leading to an increased prevalence of eye conditions among older adults. Conditions like age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, diabetic retinopathy, and glaucoma are common causes of vision loss, and they can have significant and even permanent effects on your eyes.

Studies have found that exercise can help ward off some of these conditions. This suggests that regular fitness can also strengthen your eyes and keep them healthy as per the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Even those currently suffering from eye diseases have found marked improvements and lowered risks of complications after adopting a regular exercise regimen.

Exercise Enhances Eye Comfort

Most people have experienced the discomfort of dry eyes at some point. Interestingly, regular exercise can help alleviate this too.

A 2022 study published in Experimental Eye Research found that exercise can promote stronger tear film production. This tear film keeps the eye moist and protects your cornea, even aiding in quicker healing from eye injuries. However, insufficient tear production can lead to discomfort, inflammation, corneal diseases, blurred vision, and dryness.

According to the study, those who exercised at least five times a week had better tear production and quality than those who exercised only once a week or not at all.

How to Exercise for Better Eye Health

Don’t worry if you’re not exercise-savvy. It’s never too late to start and you don’t require an intensive workout regimen to experience the eye health benefits.

Adults are recommended to do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week according to the Department of Health’s guidelines. Activities like speed walking, cycling, water aerobics, doubles tennis, or even chores like gardening or mowing the lawn can be considered.

If you prefer vigorous-intensity workouts, the guidelines call for just 75 minutes of exercise each week. Activities like running, swimming laps, or playing basketball can effectively increase your heart rate.

Additional Tips for Eye Health

• Create a Schedule: It may seem overwhelming at first, but a regular schedule can help manage your workouts. Splitting your exercise regimen into 30-minute blocks throughout weekdays can make it more manageable.

• Find a Partner: Having a workout partner can motivate you, especially on those days when you’re less inclined to hit the gym. Playing sports or going for long walks are social ways to exercise while enjoying the company of a friend.

• Protect Your Eyes: Always wear sunglasses outdoors to protect your eyes from harmful UV rays. Also, use protective eyewear when engaging in potentially hazardous activities like playing sports or mowing the lawn.

• Avoid Smoking: Apart from causing lung cancer, smoking can also lead to severe eye damage and even blindness.

• Know Your Family History: Familiarize yourself with any family history of eye diseases. This can help you take preventive measures and discuss potential treatment plans with your doctor.

• Regular Doctor Visits: Schedule an eye exam at age 40 even if you haven’t previously experienced vision issues. After that, aim for exams every one to two years when you’re 65 and older.

Regular exercise can lead to improvements throughout your body. In addition to improved eye health, you may also enjoy better mental health and even better sleep. It might even help you live longer. So, take the time to get outside, stay active and take care of your body – your eyes included.