by Dan Roberts
November 2006
A study at the University of Wisconsin has shown that regular exercise may help to prevent the wet form of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). As reported in the November 2006 issue of British Journal of Ophthalmology, the study monitored almost 4,000 people between the ages of 43 and 86 over a period of 15 years. Researchers discovered that those who engaged in strenuous physical activity (enough to break a sweat) at least three times a week were 70% less likely to develop neovascularization. One explanation is that– like coronary disease–inflammation, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are suspected to contribute to the development of wet AMD, and exercise helps to reduce those three conditions. The risk of AMD was also found to be 30% lower among people who walked more than 12 blocks (approximately 1 mile) regularly.
