Running is not only advantageous for health of heart, it benefits Eyesight as well

Mon May 30 2016

The importance of physical fitness is taught to us from an early age. Working out regularly and staying active, benefits each part of our body, lowers the chances of heart attacks, decreases the rate of obesity and related issues, keeps us more energetic the whole day and improves our overall health. Recent studies show that benefits from running and exercising go beyond just the physical state of your body and also improves eyesight. Paul Williams, Ph.D., has been conducting a study on over 55,000 runners under National Runner’s Health Study for the last 20 years to understand how running affects other parts of the body. In his latest findings, he found out something interesting which connects eyesight to exercise. Throughout these years, Williams worked on different studies to strengthen his conclusion. Three separate studies were conducted in this regard – Two in ‘Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science’ and one in ‘Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise’.  Dr. Williams concluded that the risk of developing cataracts i.e. clouding of eye lens which is a by-product of aging seems to be much smaller in the runners as compared to non-runners. He believes, this is due to the fact that: more energy expenditure is inversely proportional to developing cataracts. Also, Aerobic exercise may reduce intraocular pressure (the fluid pressure behind the eye) leading to the reduction of glaucoma in runners. He also observed that faster a person ran, more prominent were the benefits relating to “dose response”. During his cataract research specifically, Williams found that participants whose energy expenditure from running was equivalent or averaging more than five miles a day had a 41% lower risk of developing cataracts. The fittest men boasted one-half the risk of developing cataracts compared to the least-fit men. There are several reasons that may help to explain why more active people in the study had the lowest risk of developing cataracts. One possibility is that many lifestyle-related conditions, such as Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and obesity, have been linked to developing cataracts, and being physically active can pre-empt those conditions. Research at Emory University School of Medicine showed a link between exercise and the slowing of Macular Degeneration. Running has been shown to significantly increase the protective power of retinal neuron production. With millions of aging adults battling loss of eyesight each year, these statistics are a ray of hope towards a healthy vision, free of eye diseases. All these studies offer hope for people seeking to fend off the onset of eye diseases with preventive measures, not corrective. Whatever can be done to prevent these problems early are worth trying. As it turns out, running is a more cost effective, safer, and smarter way to protect and preserve your eyes.

Related Posts
Choosing the right Sunglasses
Mon May 11 2015
How Pregnancy Affects Vision?
Sat Dec 12 2015
Nutrition for Your Eyes
Tue Oct 27 2015
Can summer air affect your eyes?
Wed Apr 10 2019
Eye-Care in Summers
Mon Jul 06 2015
5 Tips To Keep Your Vision Sharp
Tue May 28 2019
National Braille Literacy Month
Mon Jan 06 2020
Nutrition for Healthy Eyesight
Sat Nov 22 2014
Can LASIK fix Astigmatism?
Sat May 25 2019
Eye Care during Monsoons
Mon Aug 24 2015
Choosing the right Sunglasses
Mon Jul 06 2015
Eye-Care in summers
Mon May 11 2015
Summer Eye Care
Thu May 15 2014
Surprising Animal Vision Facts
Thu Aug 03 2017
Common Eye allergies
Thu Jun 04 2015
How to Take Care of Eyes Daily
Wed Apr 08 2020
10 facts behind the darkness
Thu Jul 07 2016
Get Rid of Computer Eye Strain
Mon Apr 28 2014
Eye Donation Facts and Myths
Wed Sep 09 2015
6 tips for a 6/6 Vision
Mon Feb 24 2020
Facts and FAQs about Eye Donation
Mon Oct 03 2016
7 Tips for Summer Eye Care
Mon May 01 2017
Herbs For The Eyes
Tue Oct 27 2015
Why do we cry?
Thu Aug 03 2017
Blindness in India
Sat Nov 22 2014
Get Ready for Examinations
Mon Nov 09 2015
Exercise benefits your eyes
Tue Sep 11 2018
Eyeing summer with care
Tue Apr 29 2014
Computer Vision Syndrome
Mon Aug 24 2015
Hygiene for Healthy Eyes
Thu Dec 19 2019
Eye-Care Tips for Your Workplace
Tue May 24 2016
Common Symptoms of Eye allergies
Mon Jul 06 2015
Appointment Specialist Locate Us Call Us
"I chose Centre for Sight to get rid of my glasses. Their treatment is permanent, has no side effects and gave me the freedom to live to the fullest."
Select Contact Method
Delhi NCR
Rest of India
Find a Specialist
Locate Us
In Delhi / NCR