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Excerpt:
Introduction Lifestyle exercise is great for overall health – including eye health. In fact, moderate aerobic exercise (like walking, jogging, or cycling) tends to lower intraocular pressure (IOP), while intense straining (especially with breath-holding) can push IOP way up. For people at risk of glaucoma or optic nerve damage, it’s important to get heart-pumping cardiovascular benefits without dangerous eye-pressure spikes. Here we compare steady cardio versus heavy lifting (weightlifting) and breath-holding (Valsalva maneuver), and explain how smart modifications (breathing out on exertion, lighter resistance) can keep IOP in check. We also discuss which yoga and Pilates poses raise eye pressure, and suggest safer alternatives so you can protect your optic nerves while staying fit.Aerobic Exercise Is Good for Eye Pressure Regular cardio workouts generally lower IOP. Many studies show that after a bout of dynamic exercise, eye pressure falls. For example, a BMC Ophthalmology study found a statistically significant decrease in IOP during jogging (). Longer or more intense activity can drop it even more – one report found IOP fell by about 2.25 mmHg after running a marathon, and by 4.1 mmHg (about 26%) after a 110 km march (). Even a brisk walk produces a significant pressure drop (). Over time, a regular exercise program can keep baseline IOP lower (though it will return up if you stop training) (). These drops occur because exercise shunts blood flow to muscles, alters body-fluid balance, and may accelerate eye fluid drainage. (Minor dehydration during hard workouts can also slightly reduce fluid production ().) The upshot is that aerobic exercise is safe and often beneficial for people with glaucoma risk. It boosts optic nerve blood flow and may even lower glaucoma risk: one large survey found people who walked or did moderate activity had markedly lower glaucoma incidence (). In plain terms, daily moderate workouts (like 30 minutes of brisk walking, cycling, swimming, or similar) are recommended: they strengthen the heart and actually help keep eye pressure down () (). Heavy Lifting and IOP Spikes By contrast, resistance training – especially heavy, isometric lifts – can cause short-lived IOP spikes. Lifting very heavy weights tends to raise blood pressure and venous pressure in the head, which squeezes the eye. Studies have recorded sharp jumps in IOP during heavy lifts. For example, doing a bench press can raise IOP significantly, and holding the breath (the Valsalva maneuver) makes it worse (). In concrete numbers, one study found IOP jumped about 23% above baseline when breath-holding was used, versus only 12% without it (). In maximal static efforts, average IOP rose by 115% above normal – one subject even spiked as high as 46 mmHg (normally in the high 20s) during an all-out lift (). A sustained squat (thighs at right angles) caused about a 37% mean increase in IOP (). Essentially, any time you push hard against a heavy weight and especially hold your breath to “brace,” eye pressure can double or more. These spikes matter because sudden high IOP can strain the optic nerve and blood vessels in the eye. In fact, heavy straining has been linked to eye problems (like retina hemorrhages or detachment) in rare cases (). The bottom line: strenuous lifts can be risky for a vulnerable eye unless you modify them. Breathing Tips: Exhale on Exertion To avoid these dangerous spikes, use proper breathing during lifts. A fundamental tip is to ex
