Studies suggest that regular cardiovascular exercise can have a very positive effect on intraocular pressure (fluid pressure) in the eye. According to this article, people who exercise three times or more each week can reduce their intraocular pressure levels by up to 20%. Intraocular pressure is one of the main glaucoma risk factors so any steps you can take to reduce it should be followed. Whilst it won’t give you guaranteed protection from glaucoma, it will lower your risk. In this article I discuss a number of useful exercises that can reduce your intraocular pressure and help prevent glaucoma.
Walking
If you are new to exercise and worried about glaucoma, walking is the perfect choice to start with. There’s nothing to learn as you will have been doing it all your life. Additionally, no fancy equipment is required – just a good pair of walking boots and possibly a rucksack. Finally, walking is very low impact so the chances of injury are much lower compared with most other forms of exercise.
Cycling
If you are a little more experienced when it comes to exercise you may want to give cycling a try. Cycling allows you to get out and explore whilst also building your fitness and lowering your intraocular pressure. All you need to start cycling is a good bike, a helmet, the appropriate clothing and possibly a rucksack.
Jogging
If cycling is not for you and you find walking too slow, jogging is the next logical choice. You just need a good pair of running shoes and you are all set. If you do an hour of jogging every other day you will be getting some good solid cardiovascular exercise, lowering your intraocular pressure and reducing your glaucoma risk.
Soccer
If you prefer team sports then give soccer a try. It gives you just as good a workout as cycling or jogging but has the added benefits of socialisation and fun. Try organising a game once or twice a week and you will quickly start to notice improvements in your fitness.
Summary
Whilst regular exercise will not fully protect you against glaucoma, it will help to combat one of the main risk factors. Regular exercise also has countless other benefits. It protects you from a wide range of diseases, improves your strength and athletic performance, boosts your immune system and much more. If you combine your exercise routine with a clean healthy diet you will be able to reduce your glaucoma risk even further and enhance your overall health.