Keep Cataracts at Bay With Physical Activity

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Moderate-to-Vigorous Exercise Keeps the Cataracts Away

A recent, first-of-its-kind study explored the relationship between cataract risk and physical activity within a European cohort and showed a link between physical exercise and risk of senile cataract.

The study used self-reporting and objective biometric indicators to measure physical activity according to the following classifications: walking > 10 min/week, moderate physical activity (MPA) > 10 min/week, vigorous physical activity (VPA) > 10 min/week, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and overall average. Upon analyzing their data, the researchers found a decreased risk of senile cataracts associated with MPA > 10 min/week, VPA > 10 min/week, MVPA levels, and overall average.

The study agrees with previous findings that show that those with poor vision are less likely to be physically active and tend to be more sedentary. Interestingly, the authors of this study suggest that both moderate- and high-intensity activity may have a protective effect against cataract development. One reason for this may be that physical activity alleviates oxidative stress within the body by activating antioxidant enzymes, which may benefit the human lens, as it is susceptible to oxidative damage.

According to the authors, “increasing the frequency and duration of moderate and vigorous intensity activity may achieve the best effect in lowering the risk of senile cataract, thereby reducing the likelihood of needing cataract surgery and related medical expenses and improving overall health.” They go on to state that “promoting physical activity as a preventative measure for senile cataract can bring about dual benefits: promoting individuals’ health and reducing the socioeconomic burden to society.”

My Two Cents

There’s a lot to take away from this study. First off, in general, I agree with these findings. It seems as if many of my patients who are the most passive are also the unhealthiest, and we tend to find cataracts earlier in these individuals (by my estimation). However, it should also be noted that many of my most physically active patients seem to be bothered the most by their cataracts, and many of them also develop cataracts earlier, as they tend to spend more time outside exposing their bodies to the sun’s UV rays.

OUTSIDE THE LANE

Rates of Cardiovascular Disease Up in Americans

New research from the American Heart Association (AHA) predicts that more than 61% of US adults will have cardiovascular disease by 2050. The biggest driver of this trend will be the overwhelming number of people who have or will develop high blood pressure, which predisposes them to much more dangerous conditions, such as heart attack and stroke.

The AHA predicts that 45 million adults will have some form of cardiovascular disease (excluding high blood pressure) or a stroke in 2050, up from 28 million people in 2020. The reasons for this are an ever-aging and more diverse American population. Notably, communities of color tend to have a much higher number of heart problems.

The research also predicts that the number of obese Americans will increase from 43.1% to 60.6% of the population by 2050, which would mean that more than 180 million Americans would be obese. Not only that, but the percentage of Americans with diabetes will rise from 16.3% to more than 26.8%. (Read more here.)

My Two Cents

This information is sobering. The health of the American population is heading in the wrong direction. As members of the health care community, we will undoubtedly see the ripple effects of these conditions become more of an issue, and as our patient’s systemic health worsens, so will their ocular health. Not only is this troubling for the actual health and welfare of our country, but it’s also highly concerning regarding the fiscal health of our nation and its citizens. The costs of cardiovascular problems, including direct health care costs and predicted productivity losses, are expected to nearly triple to more than $1.8 trillion by the year 2050.

CAN YOU RELATE

Sometimes you need to own up to your mistakes, and boy do I make enough of them! As I write this, I’ve spent the morning fixing a situation I bungled just a few hours ago. At Williamson Eye Center, you can earn extra money taking calls and providing a service to the clinic. As I’ve written previously, I enjoy doing this, as patients are typically genuinely thankful for the service. It also provides an excellent avenue for building your own clinic schedule. The number of patients (and their families) that have become my patients because of a compassionate late night or early morning visit to the clinic is too many to count!

Well, last night, I had a few calls about a retinal detachment (see photo below), and after I made my way home and played with my puppy, I fell asleep and fell asleep hard. I woke up this morning to four(!) missed calls from our emergency line. When I called the number, I was put in touch with the patient, and the phone was immediately picked up by one of my ophthalmology partners who was already in the clinic seeing them. Whoops! I felt about 1 inch tall.

It's moments like these when you have to decide how to handle your screw up. Do you blame the previous night’s calls? The sick puppy? Or do you own up to your mistake, apologize, and make changes to ensure it will never happen again? Although the last choice seems obvious, it’s often the hardest to make, which is probably why it’s the one you should always make. Own it, be truthful, and figure out what you need to do to avoid it from reoccurring—in this case, don’t accidentally mute your phone. 😐