To Your Health
August, 2018 (Vol. 12, Issue 08) |
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Exercise Your Right to Reduce Glaucoma Risk
By Editorial Staff
Most of us take our ability to see for granted because, well, it's a natural occurrence pretty much every waking moment of our lives. But not people whose vision is compromised or altogether lost, even on a temporary basis. Those people truly understand the wonder and power of sight, and how not having it can change one's life.
With that said, you're probably in the mindset to learn about how to ensure you maintain complete, unrestricted vision for a lifetime, right? One way is to reduce your risk of developing glaucoma, a disease that damages your optic nerve and can cause blindness. In fact, glaucoma is the No. 1 cause of blindness in people over the age of 60.
Not a pretty picture, but fortunately, something as simple as staying physically fit can reduce your glaucoma risk by as much as 50 percent, according to new research published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Compared to sedentary (non-active) study participants, people who exercised had a lower risk of glaucoma; people who met U.S. physical activity guidelines (at least 150 minutes a week – 30 minutes a day, five days a week) reduced their risk even more.
Does your vision matter to you? We bet it does. Now think about these study findings and how easy it can be to reduce your risk of losing your vision due to glaucoma. Talk to your doctor for more information about the many health benefits of physical activity and how to develop a fitness program that's right for you.
