To Your Health
July, 2020 (Vol. 14, Issue 07)
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Exercise Is Great for Your Eyes, Too

By Editorial Staff

Consistent exercise has more health benefits than you can count, not to mention the impact it can have on your physical appearance. Your arms, stomach, legs and glutes, back and shoulders all lean out and tone, replacing "blah" with "wow." Just about every part of your body that can benefit from physical activity, does. But your eyes? Exercise can't help ... or can it?

Exercise can actually slow or prevent vision loss, suggests research, and you don't have to be a gym rat to reap the benefits. Exercise appears to significantly reduce overgrowth of blood vessels in the eyes, reducing the risk of macular degeneration in the process. The even better news: it didn't take much exercise at all to reduce the risk; in fact, doing more exercise didn't seem to be any more beneficial.

hand heart - Copyright – Stock Photo / Register Mark Macular degeneration, the leading cause of permanent vision loss in people over the age of 60, occurs when the macula – the small central portion of the retina – wears down over time. Blood vessel overgrowth is a key characteristic of the condition. The researchers speculate that increased blood flow from exercising may actually help preserve normal blood vessel function and prevent overgrowth.

Your doctor can tell you more about the benefits of regular exercise and help design an exercise program suitable to your health and wellness goals, taking into account any pre-existing conditions that may dictate the types of exercises you can perform safely.