Is Weight Lifting Beneficial or Detrimental for Vision?

Intraocular pressure (IOP) may become elevated with muscle exertion, changes in body position and increased respiratory volumes (especially when the Valsalva manoeuvre is involved) all of which are associated with weight lifting. Several studies have shown that IOP is decreased in aerobic exercises, but only one study has linked IOP increase with weight lifting.

Elevated IOP is a key risk factor for the development and progression of glaucoma. This study aims to further investigate the effects of strength training exercise on IOP eye health by having participants perform a variety of lower and upper body dynamic high resistance exercises. Participants will be scanned before and after the various high resistance exercises using 1) iCare IOP measuring device 2) OCT and 3) fundus photography.