Can vision be improved through sports?

Being fit is very fashionable today. Not only is it a good way to improve your health, but it is also a trend that is sweeping much of the world.

Is it possible to do sports with poor eyesight?

The life of a modern person seems to many people incomplete without sports. In this case, what should people with farsightedness, myopia and other visual pathologies do? Is it possible to do sports with poor eyesight? In the past, everyone could “skip” from the physical education class. Fortunately, the diagnosis of an ophthalmologist is no longer a sentence for people with problematic vision. They can also devote their lives to sports or simply spend their vacations actively and healthily.

Physical activity improves blood circulation, thanks to which there is a constant supply of oxygen and other important substances for the organs. Thus, physical exercise increases the efficiency of all systems of the body. Of course, they cannot completely heal eyesight. However, it is a good preventive measure and an opportunity to strengthen and improve visual functions. The main thing is that physical activity should be moderate. If the eye disease has already been diagnosed, the choice in favor of a particular sport should be made more cautiously.

What kinds of sports with visual impairment are dangerous?

In severe visual impairment, physical activity should be small. You will have to give up boxing and various martial arts, weightlifting, soccer, etc. All these activities contribute to an increase in pressure. All these activities contribute to an increase in pressure, including intraocular pressure. Even in the last stages of myopia, it is not necessary to completely refuse physical training. You just need to choose a type of activity that is not associated with lifting weights or sudden movements that can cause an increase in pressure or cause mechanical trauma to the head or eyes. You can do aerobics, yoga, swimming. They are safe and suitable for almost everyone.

As for professional athletes, they periodically undergo examinations. An ophthalmologist will timely detect an eye disease and prescribe treatment, after which it will be possible to start training again. Amateur athletes should also regularly visit the ophthalmologist’s office to prevent deterioration of vision. A specialist will help you decide on the type of sport. The doctor will advise you on the type of physical activity that is most suitable for a particular eye disease.

What kind of sport is better for people with myopia?

Medical research shows that not all sports are suitable for patients with myopia. The most useful for them are running, swimming and similar physical activities of not very high intensity, when the pulse does not exceed 140 beats per minute. During exercise, the circulation of intraocular fluid normalizes, and the work of the ciliary muscle improves. Regular exercise can stop the development of myopia. If, in addition, you perform eye exercises, visual acuity will increase.
Also for myopia of the first and second degree, playing sports that require shifting attention (volleyball, badminton, table tennis) is useful. Shifting the gaze during the game from a distant object to a close one (when moving the ball) strengthens the accommodative ability of the lens and provides training of the eye muscles.

Intense exercise, at which the heart rate rises to 150-180 beats, people with myopia are contraindicated. Acrobatics and lifting weights can lead to retinal tears. This pathology, if treatment is not started in time, ends in complete and irreversible blindness.

Very carefully with myopia you need to perform strength exercises. Today, many young people visit gyms to increase muscle mass. Often they do the training on their own, without the help of an instructor. This can be dangerous, as novice athletes tend to overload themselves. Before visiting a fitness center, it is better to consult with an ophthalmologist. If myopia is at the initial stage, then lifting weights will not lead to complications. But you should increase the load more slowly than a person with good eyesight.

Therapeutic exercise in myopia.

• massage of the back of the neck and occiput;
• circular movements of the head;
• circular movements of the eyeballs (performed for one minute first to the left and then to the right);
• eye massage;
• rapid blinking for 25-30 seconds.

Do gymnastics, self-massage of the neck and eyes should be done daily. All these exercises are aimed at relaxing and strengthening the ciliary muscle. They do not take much time, and the positive effect you will notice after a few weeks. Eyes will become less overworked, and visual acuity will increase.

What sports have a good effect on vision in hyperopia?

Experts also advise people with hyperopia to engage in volleyball, tennis (table tennis), basketball. They help to strengthen the eye muscles. Exercise should be carried out several times a week for half an hour. However, these recommendations apply to patients who have hyperopia of the first degree.
At the second stage of the disease to avoid complications, you will have to give up high and long jumps, as well as other disciplines that increase the load on the muscles. Intensive sports (running, rowing, swimming, soccer, figure skating, figure skating, tennis) are not contraindicated, but it is necessary to constantly monitor the heart rate.

So, moderate physical activity in myopia and hyperopia provides:

– enrichment of the body with oxygen;
– blood flow to the eyes;
– normal circulation of intraocular fluid;
– strengthening of eye muscles.

Exercise after laser eye surgery

Patients who decide to undergo laser surgery to restore vision are interested in whether it is possible to do sports after the procedure. Almost any eye surgery is accompanied by damage to the surface layer of the cornea. Healing occurs very quickly, within one or two days. During this period, it is forbidden not only sports, but also any strain on the eyes, even reading and working on the computer. In the next two weeks after correction, the patient can return to a normal lifestyle, but it is necessary to avoid situations in which the eye may be traumatized. The ingress of a foreign body or a blow can lead to displacement of the corneal flap, as a result of which the doctor’s help will be needed again. During the rehabilitation period, the operated person can exercise, run on a treadmill or ride a bicycle. Swimming pools and saunas should not be visited during this time, as germs can get into the eyes.

If you have problems with your eyesight, you should approach sports more responsibly. Be sure to have an eye examination with an ophthalmologist. It will show whether you have contraindications, whether they are absolute or relative. Find out what kind of sport is suitable for you. Remember that even ordinary walks in the fresh air will contribute to improving the health of the eyes. A sedentary lifestyle is accompanied by a slowing down of the blood supply to the organs of vision and a drop in visual acuity. The influence of sports on vision is very strong, but with a competent approach to this issue it will be extremely positive.