Research from the University of Tokyo recently published in Eye evaluated the association between various lifestyle routines and the development of glaucoma.
Talk about the study.
Using the Japan Medical Data Center (JMDC)—a large-scale administrative claims database with annual health check-up data—investigators performed Cox regression analyses on the data of participants who underwent health check-ups from 2005 to 2020.
Of the 3,110,743 participants included in the study, 39,975 developed glaucoma during the follow-up period.
Lifestyle habits assessed by the study included: body mass index (BMI), smoking status, frequency and amount of alcohol consumption, eating habits, exercise habits, and quality of sleep.
Findings?
Researchers showed that in the Japanese population, the lifestyle habits most closely associated with increased glaucoma incidence were the following:
- BMI-defined overweight/obesity
- >2.5 units/day of alcohol consumption vs. <2.5 units/day
- Skipping breakfast
- Late dinner
- Daily walking
Did anything lead to a reduced risk?
Daily alcohol consumption and regular exercise were associated with a reduced incidence of glaucoma.
Tell me more.
Investigators observed that exercising for more than 30 minutes, twice a week was significantly associated with a lower risk of glaucoma.
Conversely, walking for more than 1 hour every day was significantly associated with a higher risk of glaucoma.
Ultimately, moderate-intensity exercise—30 minutes, twice a week, as the study potentially posited —could be viewed as optimal.
How about alcohol effects?
Interestingly, the study authors observed that due to the short-term ocular hypotensive effect of alcohol, “daily intake of alcohol in the evening may help reduce the peak of intraocular pressure [IOP], possibly resulting in prevention of the development of glaucoma.”
It’s important to note that excessive intake of alcohol could lead to neuropathy and further complications.
Anything else?
Investigators also found that good sleep quality was not associated with the development of glaucoma, and being underweight was associated with a significantly increased risk of glaucoma only in females.
Limitations?
The JMDC database did not differentiate between non-smokers and ex-smokers and lacked information on the smoking volume and duration; thus, researchers were unable to draw any conclusions about the association between smoking and glaucoma.
Additionally, many of the parameters used in the study were based on self-reported records, and the sample population only featured Japanese participants.
Further research into the impact of lifestyle habits on the incidence of glaucoma in a more diverse cohort is warranted, the authors advised.
Significance?
When counseling patients on lifestyle habits, eye care practitioners may keep in mind these lifestyle habits data that may play key roles in a reduced or increased risk for glaucoma.