An Active Lifestyle may Reduce Risk of Macular Degeneration

Ivanhoe Newswire
Wednesday, November 1, 2006; 12:00 AM

By Caroline Penn, Ivanhoe Health Correspondent

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- If you exercise more than three times a week, your odds of developing wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD) may be reduced by as much as 70 percent.

According to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation (AMDF), macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease. It is the leading cause of blindness for those aged 55 and older in the United States, affecting more than 10 million Americans.

Age-related macular degeneration is divided into two types: dry and wet. Both forms are caused by the deterioration of the central portion of the retina, the inside back layer of the eye that records the images we see and sends them, via the optic nerve, from the eye to the brain. The retina's central portion, known as the macula, controls our ability to read, drive a car, recognize faces or colors, and see objects in fine detail.

Researchers involved with the Beaver Dam Eye Study -- a private census of Beaver Dam, Wisconsin -- identified more than 4,000 people between ages 43 and 86 with AMD over 15 years. Researchers measured physical activity of participants by using questionnaires. Factors like age, sex, history of arthritis, systolic blood pressure, body mass index, smoking, education and physical lifestyle were all taken into account.

Lead author and associate researcher, Michael Knudtson, from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, told Ivanhoe, "We are saying there is a link between cardiovascular disease and a risk of macular degeneration; however, we don't want the public to think exercise will completely prevent it." He adds, "There are certain things that have also been hypothesized to play a role in the pathogenesis of macular degeneration."

According to the researchers, evidence reveals regular physical activity benefits health by reducing abdominal fat, weight, blood pressure, systemic inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. They believe these factors have a role in AMD.

This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.

SOURCE: Ivanhoe interview with Michael Knudtson from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health; The British Journal of Ophthalmology, published online Oct. 30, 2006