Macular Degeneration

Exercise and Save Your Eyes!

Study shows exercise can reduce risk of developing certain form of eye disease causing serious vision loss

For those of you who need an extra boost or incentive to get to the gym, here it is – exercising can keep you from losing your vision! According to a recent study, exercise can reduce the risk of developing wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a more severe form of AMD.

The study found that people with an active lifestyle were 70 percent less likely to develop wet AMD. Researchers also found that people who walked on a regular basis were 30 percent less likely to develop this type of AMD.

AMD affects about six million Americans and is the leading cause of vision loss among older Americans. There are two types of AMD, wet and dry. Wet AMD is more closely linked with sudden serious vision loss, while dry AMD results in a more gradual loss of vision.

“It’s the second behavioral modification, after not smoking, that I know of that would reduce your risk of getting the wet form of the disease,” said Dr. Marco Zarbin, professor and chairman of the Institute of Ophthalmology and Visual Science at New Jersey Medical School.

So for anyone out there having second thoughts about exercising, get out there and do something active. You will feel better knowing that you are doing all you can to keep yourself and your vision healthy!

For more information on AMD and other eye diseases, go to the Eye Health 101 section located on the left of the screen.