A new study published in the British Journal of Opthamology found a lower incidence of Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) in elderly men and women who led a more active lifestyle. This is one of the first studies to show that regular activity can affect ocular health.
AMD is a progressive disorder of the eyes that results in total vision loss. It is mediated by damage to the eye by UV rays from the sun. It usually occurs in older age individuals. Surgery is the primary means of treatment.
The researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine assessed physical activity in more than 4,000 men and women over a fifteen year period. Their ages at enrollement were between 43 and 86 years. Each person completed a questionaire about physical activity every 5 years. Data was compiled and incidence of AMD coorelated with physical activity.
They found that about 25 percent of men and women were regularly active during the study. Having a active lifestyle or regular exercise routine was associated with a drop risk for AMD by as much as 70 percent for those most active. They could not determine the reason for this positive effect, but perhaps the body was overall more healthy in those active persons.
In any case, regular exercise, even in old age, is protective against a variety of conditions including heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, and now age-related macular degeneration.
Posted by Dr. Christina Gutierrez on November 1, 2006 04:48 PM
