Hate aerobic exercise? Well here’s a new reason to make it a habit–doing so could prevent blindness, according to a new study published in The Journal of Neuroscience.
The study, which looked at how treadmill running affected the ability of rodents to see properly, found that regular bouts of aerobic exercise prevented retina damage–a leading precursor of blindness.
Machelle Pardue, Ph.D., who headed the research, says that this finding shows just how important exercise is.
“This is the first report of simple exercise having a direct effect on retinal health and vision,” says Pardue, who works for the Atlanta VA Center for Visual and Neurocognitive Rehabilitiation and Emory University. “This research may one day lead to tailored exercise regimens or combination therapies in treatments of blinding diseases.”
Studying a group of laboratory mice, Pardue–along with colleagues Eric Lawson and Jeffrey H. Boatwright, Ph.D.–initially split them into two groups, which included a non-exercise and exercise group. For the non-exercise group, their task was simple: Sit on a stationary treadmill for an hour a day. But those placed in the exercise group were tasked with a bigger challenge, according to researchers–they had to use the treadmill for an hour a day for 5 days a week. Both groups continued these activities for a total of two weeks.
Then, after two weeks, came the real challenge: Exposing them to bright lights.
Normally, say experts, eyes exposed to bright lights are able to adapt to the change by constricting the pupil, causing most of the iris to be visible. But at higher capacities the eye cannot adapt, causing damage to the retina. And that’s exactly what Pardue did–and retina damage did occur.
“After 2 weeks of exercise, mice were exposed to either toxic bright light (10,000 lux) for 4 h to induce photoreceptor degeneration or maintenance dim light,” write researchers. “Bright light caused 75% loss of both retinal function and photoreceptor numbers.”
But while all mice experience some sort of retinal damage, researchers note that mice who exercised still retained 2 times more retinal function than those who didn’t exercise. Furthermore, these mice had 20 percent higher levels of BDNF, or brain-derived neurotrophic factor.
Experts believe BDNF protects retinas against light damage.
“These findings further our current understanding of the neuroprotective effects of aerobic exercise and the role of BDNF,” says Michelle Ploughman, Ph.D., a researcher from the Memorial University of Newfoundland, who did not participate in the study. “People who are at risk of macular degeneration or have early signs of the disease may be able to slow down the progression of visual impairment.”
In conclusion, researchers say further research is needed, but the effects of exercise look promising for those at risk of blindness.
What You Should Do
If you face a higher risk of blindness, there’s an easy way to fight it now–get on a treadmill. An hour of treadmill walking or running per day may be enough to keep blindness at bay and keep your eyes healthy, according to research.
Readers: What else do you do to protect your eyes?
Sources:
Study: Exercise May Prevent Blindness – MedicalNewsToday.com
Abstract: Exercise Reduces Retinal Damage in Rodents – JneuroSci.org
Press Release: Aerobic Exercise Reduces Retinal Degradation in Mice – SFN.org
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