Dr Bradley Gelfand.

Exercise can slow or prevent the development of macular degeneration (MD) and may benefit other common causes of vision loss, such as glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, new research suggests.

The University of Virginia (UVA) study found exercise reduced the harmful overgrowth of blood vessels in the eyes of lab mice by up to 45%. This tangle of blood vessels is a key contributor to MD and several other eye diseases.

“There has long been a question about whether maintaining a healthy lifestyle can delay or prevent the development of MD. The way that question has historically been answered has been by taking surveys of people, asking them what they are eating and how much exercise they are performing,” said research lead Dr Bradley Gelfand from UVA’s Centre for Advanced Vision Science. “The problem with that is that people are notoriously bad self-reporters. This study offers hard evidence from the lab for very first time.”

Scientists aren’t certain exactly how exercise is preventing the blood vessel overgrowth, there could be a variety of factors at play, said Dr Gelfand, including increased blood flow to the eyes. “The next step is to look at how and why this happens and to see if we can develop a pill or method that will provide the benefits of exercise without having to exercise.”