Exercise may reduce your risk of cataract

A recent study has shown that exercise may reduce your risk of cataracts.

The study, conducted in Stockholm, looked at 52,000 Swedish men and women aged between the ages of 45 and 83.

The researchers found that people who led an active life, over a 12 year period, had a 13% less chance of developing cataracts. This is compared to the least active people questioned.

These results confirm the findings seen in other studies. The benefits of exercise on other ageing conditions affect the eye such as age-related macular degeneration.

The Swedish researchers also found that sitting for extended periods of time was also associated with an increased risk of developing cataracts.

Exercise is great for preventing all manner of general diseases, such as diabetes or heart disease. However, this study shows it may be beneficial in preventing cataracts too.

The authors conclude that physical activity such as walking or cycling and not being sedentary at work could prevent cataracts in the future.

Reference

Long-Term Physical Activity and Risk of Age-Related Cataract
Ophthalmology February 2015 Volume 122, Issue 2, Pages 274–280
A Population-Based Prospective Study of Male and Female Cohorts
Jinjin Zheng Selin, MSc,
Nicola Orsini, PhD,
Birgitta Ejdervik Lindblad, MD, PhD,
Alicja Wolk, DMSc