Impact of Physical Activity Levels on Visual Field Progression in Individuals With Glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Glaucoma Research
• Public Health

Background:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide.
• Visual field (VF) mean deviation (MD) loss is a key indicator of glaucoma progression.
• The role of lifestyle factors, such as physical activity (PA), in glaucoma management is an area of growing interest.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between physical activity (PA) levels and the rate of visual field (VF) progression in patients diagnosed with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG).

Main Methods:

• A longitudinal study included 80 POAG patients with at least 5 visits and 2 years of VF data.
• Physical activity was assessed at baseline using a questionnaire, including the physical activity index (PAI), metabolic equivalents of task (MET)-minutes, and walking pace.
• Linear mixed-effects models were employed for univariable and multivariable analyses to evaluate the impact of PA on VF MD loss rates.

Main Results:

• Higher PA amounts, measured in MET-minutes, were significantly associated with slower VF MD loss rates in both univariable (0.14 dB/year per 1000 MET-minutes) and multivariable analyses (0.15 dB/year per 1000 MET-minutes).
• An active PAI category was also linked to slower VF MD loss in univariable analysis (0.30 dB/year).
• No significant association was found between baseline VF MD or walking pace and the rate of VF MD loss.

Conclusions:

• Higher physical activity amounts independently predict a slower rate of visual field mean deviation loss in POAG patients.
• These findings suggest that increased physical activity may play a protective role in glaucoma progression.
• Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore PA as a potential therapeutic strategy.