Unless they’re bothering us, our eyes tend to take a backseat to other concerns. But by the age of 80, more than half of all Americans have some degree of vision loss in the form of cataracts.
Cataracts develop over several years and cloud the eye lens. What you might think is just blurry vision from tired eyes could actually lead to blindness!
But the good news is there’s a simple activity you can do to protect your eyesight. It’s already beneficial to your entire body but it’s also a surprising way to prevent cataracts from forming.
This activity reduces the inflammation that causes free radicals and oxidative stress. Both of those damaging processes cause the protein in the eye lens to clump together and cloud a small area.
Your blood contains a protein molecule called a cytokine. Cytokines help control immune and inflammatory responses. This activity releases cytokines into your blood stream and reduces inflammation.
| Do you know what the 20/20/20 rule is? While working, stop for 20 seconds and look far away, at least 20 feet. Breathe and blink easily. But keep your eyes moving. And look at various distant objects. Repeat every 20 minutes. Simple eye exercises will help strengthen your eye muscles, improve focusing, eye movements, and stimulate the vision center of the brain. |
Reduce your risk of cataracts and save your vision by doing this for just a few minutes a day…
Yes, the health benefits of exercise even extend to your vision.
A recent study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that men and women who either walked or ran over a six year period had a reduced risk of developing cataracts. And as people increased their exercise, they decreased their cataract risk.
Those who walked the most had a 34 percent less risk of cataracts. And those who ran the most had a 41 percent reduced risk.
Running reduces your risk too. Men who were in better shape and ran the fastest cut their risk of cataracts in half over a seven year period.
Can’t run or don’t care to walk? Any exercise will do. You want to do an activity that will boost your cardio fitness and release your cytokines. You can bike, swim, or even lift weights. Just make sure to get your heart pumping.
The regular exercise also helps promote blood circulation and oxygen—both of which are vital for eye health.
Adding a little exercise to your daily routine helps you limit the damage from free radicals and oxidative stress. You’ll reduce overall dangerous inflammation and help ward off cataracts and blindness.
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References:
1 http://www.medicinenet.com/cataracts/article.htm
2 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16166805
3 http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/moderate-exercise-reduces-inflammation-study
4 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23274600
5 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18408175