Association of Exercise Intensity with the Prevalence of Glaucoma and Intraocular Pressure in Men: A Study Based on the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

Adequate exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and preventing ageing-related diseases. The purpose of this study was to assess the associations between exercise and glaucoma, as well as exercise and intraocular pressure (IOP) levels. This study used data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 2008–2012, which in total included 10,243 men aged ≥40 years. The presence of glaucoma and the higher IOP of each eye (IOPmax) taken from the health examination survey and the ophthalmic examination were used for analyses. A questionnaire was used to assess exercise activity, which was analysed regarding intensity, frequency, and duration. Regression analyses were used to determine the relationships of exercise parameters with the odds of glaucoma and IOPmax. The prevalence of glaucoma was significantly lower in men who engaged in moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise compared to those who did not exercise (p = 0.012). The odds for glaucoma were the lowest in men engaged in vigorous intensity exercise (p = 0.009). However, IOPmax was highest in the vigorous intensity exercise group (p = 0.026) with no linear trend pattern. These results suggest that exercise decreased the odds of glaucoma via several factors including non-IOP mechanisms.

The Effect of Exercise on Intraocular Pressure and Glaucoma

“…Several studies have investigated the possible relationship between exercise and the development glaucoma 16–18 …”

“…Furthermore, people who exercised with “vigorous intensity” 7 times a week were 3 times more likely to have glaucoma compared with those who exercised with “vigorous intensity” 3 times a week (OR 3.33, 95% CI: 1.16–9.54) 16 . A 2022 study of the KNHANES data analyzed a cohort of 6059 men aged 40 or older and excluded subjects with a history of chronic disease (including stroke, renal failure) and conditions limiting mobility 17 . The prevalence of glaucoma was higher in men who did “no exercise” compared with those who performed “moderate intensity” or “vigorous intensity” exercise (2% vs. 0.7% vs. 0.6%; P =0.012) 17 …”

“…17 The prevalence of glaucoma was higher in men who did "no exercise" compared with those who performed "moderate intensity" or "vigorous intensity" exercise (2% vs. 0.7% vs. 0.6%; P = 0.012). 17 A 2009 study of runners found that higher levels of fitness may be protective against the development of glaucoma. 18 This was a prospective study of 29,854 male runners (identified as participants of running races) over a 7.7-year period.…”

“…KNHANES, the large cross-sectional study of a South Korean population, found that the prevalence of glaucoma is higher among people who do not exercise compared with those who exercise with "moderate" or "vigorous" intensity on a regular basis. 17 The National Runners' Health Study found that higher levels of fitness may be protective against the development of glaucoma among a cohort of male runners. 18 However, the high levels of fitness evaluated in this study would likely not be applicable to the typical glaucoma population.…”

“…[16][17][18] Studies using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) have found that the prevalence of glaucoma is higher among people who do not exercise and that regular exercise of moderate intensity may be preferable in protecting against developing glaucoma. 16,17 KNHANES is a nationwide cross-sectional survey of the health and nutritional status of the South Korean population, and includes data on medical history, physical examinations and health behavior surveys. 16 The data includes GAT IOP measurements and exercise history in the form of a questionnaire.…”