Exercise-Induced Changes in Ocular Blood Flow Parameters in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma Patients

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Cardiovascular Physiology
• Glaucoma Research

Background:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Ocular blood flow (OBF) plays a critical role in glaucoma pathogenesis.
• Understanding the impact of physiological stressors like exercise on OBF in POAG is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the acute effects of aerobic exercise on OBF parameters in patients with POAG.
• To assess changes in intraocular pressure (IOP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), ocular pulse amplitude (OPA), and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) post-exercise.

Main Methods:

• A prospective observational study involving 30 medically treated POAG patients.
• Patients underwent a 40-minute cycloergometry exercise session.
• Measurements of IOP, MAP, OPA, and OPP were taken before, and 1 and 30 minutes after exercise.

Main Results:

• Both MAP and IOP significantly increased immediately after exercise (p < 0.01), remaining elevated at 30 minutes.
• Ocular pulse amplitude (OPA) and ocular perfusion pressure (OPP) also showed significant increases post-exercise (p < 0.01).
• Age was the only factor significantly associated with OPA variation (R2 0.14; p < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Aerobic exercise induces a significant, short-term enhancement in OBF parameters in POAG patients.
• The increase in MAP compensates for the modest rise in IOP, resulting in higher OBF.
• Further research is warranted to explore the long-term implications of these exercise-induced changes on glaucoma prognosis.