Is Exercise Good for Your Eye Health?
Lifting weights, running, and crunches are excellent for your waistline, but what about your eyes? Can regular exercise improve eye health? Keep reading to learn more about the link between exercise and good vision.
More Exercise = Fewer Eye Diseases
Studies have shown that regular exercise can reduce the risk of many serious eye diseases. One study found that regular exercise reduced glaucoma risk by 25%. Another study found that people that exercised three times a week reduced their risk of age-related macular degeneration, compared to those that did not exercise.
It makes sense. Exercise improves overall health, and many serious eye problems are linked to health conditions. For example, diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness, can develop in patients with diabetes, especially those with higher and less controlled blood sugar numbers.
Diabetes isn’t the only health concern that affects the eyes. High blood pressure, some autoimmune diseases, rosacea, and liver disease can all affect the eyes and vision. Exercise creates a healthier body, and a healthier body means healthier eyes.
Of course, exercise isn’t a cure-all for every vision problem or health concern. It is a way to keep your body functioning at its best. Prevention is key to avoiding many vision problems.
How Much Exercise Do I Need?
Exercise offers health, mood, appearance, and vision benefits. If you’re not currently exercising, it’s a habit worth considering.
To give you a good starting point, here are the recommendations for weekly physical activity from the American Heart Association for adults:
- 75-150 Minutes Per Week- Get a minimum of 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. Any combination of the two works. Aerobic activity, aka cardio, gets your heart pumping and body moving, think running or swimming. Moving more offers additional benefits.
- Add in muscle-strengthening activities like resistance training or weight training twice a week.
- Sit Less- Reducing sedentary time is important. Move more if possible. Even a gentle walk can counteract many of the effects of a sedentary lifestyle.
- Increase with Time- As your body adapts to exercise, increase time and intensity. You’ll keep getting stronger and healthier as time goes on.
Talk to your doctor for specific exercise tips and recommendations.
Better Vision Through LASIK Surgery
Exercise can improve eye health and reduce the risk of serious eye disease, but it isn’t going to cure nearsightedness. To treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism, you’ll need to come see Dr. Will. LASIK surgery can improve your vision by reshaping the cornea and correcting refractive errors.
When performed by a skilled refractive surgeon using the latest available technologies, LASIK can offer impressive vision correction results. Virtually all of our patients no longer need glasses or contacts and achieve 20/20 vision, or better. LASIK results are long lasting with patients enjoying lifelong improvement in their vision.
Good vision and healthy eyes are priceless. At Will Vision and Laser Centers, we help patients throughout the Pacific Northwest to see better through LASIK and PRK surgery. We are conveniently located in Vancouver, WA and Salem, OR.
We’ll help you with your vision, but for optimal eye health, you’ll need to do your part. A healthy lifestyle with lots of exercise can help keep your eyes healthy and strong.
Call us at 877-542-3937 to schedule your LASIK consultation.