Exercise with Glaucoma

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vonckd
vonckd Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been diagnosed with glaucoma. I was told that aerobic exercise is best, but no weight lifting, yoga, or push ups. I have an exercise bike for aerobic, what can I do to strengthen and firm my arms?

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  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,754 Member
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    Is swimming okay?
  • vonckd
    vonckd Posts: 7 Member
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    Yes, I love swimming, but I don't live anywhere near water and public pool is too inconvenient.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,573 Member
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    You need to talk to your doctor about this. I think nobody can really advice you on what you can and can't do. I suppose no strength training is meant to prevent pressure buildup in your head/eye. How much running outside might be a problem, or doing pushups from a kitchen worktop: no idea.
  • 4ygc7jrqyt
    4ygc7jrqyt Posts: 2 Member
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    I’ve got the same problem. I’m 76 and I need to preserve muscle. Not sure what exercises to do or avoid.
  • wm3796
    wm3796 Posts: 78 Member
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    I would ask your doctor if body weight and band exercises are ok.. there are lots of options there
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,996 Member
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    4ygc7jrqyt wrote: »
    I’ve got the same problem. I’m 76 and I need to preserve muscle. Not sure what exercises to do or avoid.

    Discuss these articles with your doctor and/or ask for a referral to a physical therapist who can design an exercise program for you.

    https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/glaucoma-and-exercise

    ...Strength Training: Maybe

    Lack of clarity. Relatively few studies have been conducted on weight training’s effect on IOP. Moreover, the results have been contradictory:

    Several years ago, Dr. Ritch’s group evaluated the effect of bench pressing on IOP in 29 normal subjects, and a number of them experienced rises in IOP during the exercise.6 “The study hasn’t been done in people with glau­coma, but I presume that glaucoma patients would have a more exaggerated response,” Dr. Ritch said.

    In another study of 30 healthy indi­viduals, the opposite occurred: Dynam­ic resistance exercises (chest and leg presses) induced moderate postexercise decreases in IOP.7

    Advice for patients? Given the lack of clarity, Dr. Ritch’s guidance for glaucoma patients comes down to the amount of weight being lifted. Is a patient working with 10-, 20-, or 30-pound weights—or much more than that? “I caution patients with glaucoma about bench pressing 200 pounds, but a definitive study has not been done. If a patient has mild glau­coma, I tell them to go ahead with their routine unless they [experience] severe damage. I had one patient who lost his 3-degree island of vision in the middle of doing a crunch, and IOP can also rise in patients doing push-ups. I basi­cally tell them to use common sense.”

    Avoid the Valsalva maneuver. It’s crucial that the person continues to exhale during periods of maximum ex­ertion. This helps the patient avoid the Valsalva maneuver, in which a person exhales forcefully with a closed mouth and nose and the windpipe is blocked by the closed epiglottis—which can increase IOP dramatically.

    https://www.neivision.com/blog/what-exercise-is-good-for-glaucoma.htm

    ...Like other types of exercise, weight lifting can offer some benefits for glaucoma patients, but can also be harmful if done too strenuously. Low-level weight routines are often fine, and patients with mild glaucoma may even be able to complete weight training that is a bit more strenuous. In most cases, though, extremely high weight amounts or lengthy training intervals can cause too much strain, which can increase pressure on the eye. Regular breathing and exhaling while lifting is a great way to limit pressure build as you exercise.

    ...Overall, exercise is good for glaucoma as long as you can minimize excessive strain or restricted breathing.

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