Real-world assessment of physical activity in glaucoma using an accelerometer

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Gerontology

Background:

• Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
• Understanding lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, is crucial for managing glaucoma and its progression.
• Previous research has not fully elucidated the relationship between glaucoma-related visual impairment and daily physical activity levels.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between glaucomatous visual field (VF) loss and the amount of physical activity and walking in daily life.
• To compare physical activity levels between individuals with and without glaucoma.
• To determine if the severity of VF loss correlates with reduced physical activity.

Main Methods:

• A prospective, observational study involving 60-80 year old glaucoma suspects (controls) and glaucoma patients with bilateral VF loss.
• Participants wore accelerometers for 7 days to measure daily minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and steps per day.
• Multivariate models were used to analyze the association between glaucoma, VF loss, and physical activity, controlling for potential confounders.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in MVPA or daily steps was found between control and glaucoma groups overall.
• A significant dose-response relationship was observed: each 5 dB decrement in better-eye VF was associated with 17% less MVPA and 10% fewer steps.
• Glaucoma subjects with the most severe VF damage (worse than -13.5 dB) exhibited significantly lower MVPA and daily steps compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• While overall physical activity levels did not differ significantly between glaucoma patients and controls, greater visual field loss was strongly associated with reduced physical activity and walking.
• The findings highlight a potential link between the severity of glaucoma and a more sedentary lifestyle.
• Further research is warranted to fully understand the complex relationship between glaucoma and physical activity and to develop targeted interventions.