Lifestyles guide and glaucoma (i). Sports and activities

The Effect of Specific Techniques of Nasal Breathing [Pranayama] on Intra-Ocular Pressure in Normal Individuals, a Randomized Trial

PURPOSE

Glaucoma is an optic neuropathy where intraocular pressure is the only modifiable risk factor. Yoga is thought to adversely affect intra-ocular pressure (IOP) but we do not know if yogic breathing exercises can influence IOP. With this study, we aimed to determine the effect of specific nasal breathing techniques on intra-ocular pressure in normal individuals.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

One hundred and sixty-four normal subjects were randomly assigned to one of four specific breathing groups - right nostril breathing (RNB), left nostril breathing (LNB), alternate nostril breathing (ANB), normal breathing (NB). The IOP was measured in both eyes at baseline and following the breathing exercise; and the change was analyzed.

RESULTS

Eighty-five women and 79 men participated and there was no significant difference in baseline age or IOP between the groups. In RNB, IOP reduced significantly in both right and left eyes, from 14.3 ± 3.0mmHg to 13.9 ± 2.6mmHg, (p=0.022) and from 14.7 ± 3.2mmHg to 14.2 ± 3mmHg (p=0.016) respectively. In LNB, there was no significant IOP change in the right eye, whereas in the left eye, there was a significant reduction from 14.2 ± 2.7mmHg to 13.3 ± 2.5mmHg (p< 0.0001). There was no significant IOP change in ANB and NB.

CONCLUSION

Specific breathing techniques like right and left nostril breathing, alternate nostril breathing are safe and do not raise IOP in normal subjects. Additionally, right and left nostril breathing techniques have a beneficial effect of lowering IOP.

Effects of regular exercise on intraocular pressure

BACKGROUND

Exercise may potentially provide an adjunctive measure to help control intraocular pressure in glaucoma patients. However, currently, there is still no substantial evidence that regular exercise can produce a prolonged effect of intraocular pressure reduction. We aim to determine the effects of regular exercise on intraocular pressure in healthy individuals.

METHODS

We conducted a prospective, interventional study at the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Our subjects consist of 45 healthy participants in the intervention arm, and 38 healthy control participants who were age- and gender-matched. The intervention arm was enrolled into a supervised exercise programme for a 6-week period, where controls were asked to continue their usual daily lifestyle. The intervention consists of three sessions every week, which focused on aerobic exercise and strength training.

RESULTS

Baseline intraocular pressure was measured, and then remeasured again at the end of 6 weeks of exercise conditioning. In the intervention group, there was a reduction of baseline intraocular pressure from pre-intervention mean intraocular pressure of 15.55 ± 2.63 mmHg, down to 13.36 ± 3.16 mmHg at 6 weeks, a statistically significant reduction of -2.18 ± 2.25 mmHg (p < 0.001) post-intervention. On the other hand, the control group recorded a non-statistically significant mean increase of 0.63 ± 2.47 mmHg (p = 0.123) at 6 weeks.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study concluded that regular exercise results in a significant intraocular pressure reduction in healthy individuals.