PSA - Glaucoma and Sports - get annual eye exams
08-03-12, 08:20 AM
#1
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PSA - Glaucoma and Sports - get annual eye exams
Hey folks,
I just got diagnosed with Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma at the age of 39. No damage yet so I'm lucky, but I hadn't had my eyes examined in 5 years. Apparently with this type of glaucoma there is a possible link with 'vigorous exercise.'
The glaucoma is caused by granules of pigment coming off the back of the iris and clogging the passages that allow the fluid to flow out of the eye and maintain a constant safe pressure.
Fortunately it's easy to control, but any damage is irreversible.
So, even if you have 20/20 vision please still get an annual eye exam.
I just got diagnosed with Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma at the age of 39. No damage yet so I'm lucky, but I hadn't had my eyes examined in 5 years. Apparently with this type of glaucoma there is a possible link with 'vigorous exercise.'
The glaucoma is caused by granules of pigment coming off the back of the iris and clogging the passages that allow the fluid to flow out of the eye and maintain a constant safe pressure.
Fortunately it's easy to control, but any damage is irreversible.
So, even if you have 20/20 vision please still get an annual eye exam.
08-03-12, 08:26 AM
#2
Scarlet Knight
Hey folks,
I just got diagnosed with Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma at the age of 39. No damage yet so I'm lucky, but I hadn't had my eyes examined in 5 years. Apparently with this type of glaucoma there is a possible link with 'vigorous exercise.'
The glaucoma is caused by granules of pigment coming off the back of the iris and clogging the passages that allow the fluid to flow out of the eye and maintain a constant safe pressure.
Fortunately it's easy to control, but any damage is irreversible.
So, even if you have 20/20 vision please still get an annual eye exam.
I just got diagnosed with Pigment Dispersion Glaucoma at the age of 39. No damage yet so I'm lucky, but I hadn't had my eyes examined in 5 years. Apparently with this type of glaucoma there is a possible link with 'vigorous exercise.'
The glaucoma is caused by granules of pigment coming off the back of the iris and clogging the passages that allow the fluid to flow out of the eye and maintain a constant safe pressure.
Fortunately it's easy to control, but any damage is irreversible.
So, even if you have 20/20 vision please still get an annual eye exam.
Thanks jwible, important info! Glad you caught it when you did.
08-03-12, 08:50 AM
#3
Professional Fuss-Budget
I hope I'm not contradicting your doctor here, but aerobic exercise is actually beneficial for glaucoma.
The only problem would be if the exercise in question increases intraocular pressure, e.g. holding your breath for far too long while exerting yourself. That's really an issue for weightlifters and possibly yoga inversions, not cyclists. Another potential issue would be guzzling too much water at once -- as in, a quart in a 15-minute time period.
You have my sympathies for contracting a difficult condition at a relatively young age. But if you're going to do a PSA, please make sure you have the correct info.
https://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts....ert_738-1.html
https://www.livestrong.com/article/30...coma-exercise/
The only problem would be if the exercise in question increases intraocular pressure, e.g. holding your breath for far too long while exerting yourself. That's really an issue for weightlifters and possibly yoga inversions, not cyclists. Another potential issue would be guzzling too much water at once -- as in, a quart in a 15-minute time period.
You have my sympathies for contracting a difficult condition at a relatively young age. But if you're going to do a PSA, please make sure you have the correct info.
https://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts....ert_738-1.html
https://www.livestrong.com/article/30...coma-exercise/
08-03-12, 09:29 AM
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Glaucoma, eh. So does Georgia have medicinal herb? That's the most important thing. 
08-03-12, 09:46 AM
#5
Scarlet Knight
I hope I'm not contradicting your doctor here, but aerobic exercise is actually beneficial for glaucoma.
The only problem would be if the exercise in question increases intraocular pressure, e.g. holding your breath for far too long while exerting yourself. That's really an issue for weightlifters and possibly yoga inversions, not cyclists. Another potential issue would be guzzling too much water at once -- as in, a quart in a 15-minute time period.
You have my sympathies for contracting a difficult condition at a relatively young age. But if you're going to do a PSA, please make sure you have the correct info.
https://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts....ert_738-1.html
https://www.livestrong.com/article/30...coma-exercise/
The only problem would be if the exercise in question increases intraocular pressure, e.g. holding your breath for far too long while exerting yourself. That's really an issue for weightlifters and possibly yoga inversions, not cyclists. Another potential issue would be guzzling too much water at once -- as in, a quart in a 15-minute time period.
You have my sympathies for contracting a difficult condition at a relatively young age. But if you're going to do a PSA, please make sure you have the correct info.
https://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts....ert_738-1.html
https://www.livestrong.com/article/30...coma-exercise/
08-03-12, 09:54 AM
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08-03-12, 10:42 AM
#7
Professional Fuss-Budget
My reading comprehension is just fine. But since you invited further comment... 
Pigment dispersion glaucoma is rare. As in, you are ten times more likely to get testicular cancer than suffer from pigment dispersion glaucoma. (Wow, that sounds terrible, right? It might sound better if we say the incidence rates for testicular cancer are 5.3 per 100,000 and for pigment dispersion glaucoma it's probably 1 per 200,000.) There's no indication it is caused by "vigorous exercise" (like basketball or jogging). Rather, if you already have it, and you jump up and down all day, you're likely to aggravate it.
People are very bad at judging risk. The OP got nailed with a rare condition; thus to him, it's natural to treat this seriously and warn others. The reality is that very few people need to fear this particular problem. Further, aerobic exercise is apparently beneficial for the substantially more common condition of glaucoma, as well as a host of other issues.
So, the general recommendation is that adults should get eye exams every 2-3 years, and increase it to annual when you hit 40. That's from medical professionals, who are well aware of the risks, including the rare ones. Let's stick with that, shall we?
If you want to remind people of that schedule, I think that's great. If you do so based on inaccurate information that scares people, that's less helpful.
Pigment dispersion glaucoma is rare. As in, you are ten times more likely to get testicular cancer than suffer from pigment dispersion glaucoma. (Wow, that sounds terrible, right? It might sound better if we say the incidence rates for testicular cancer are 5.3 per 100,000 and for pigment dispersion glaucoma it's probably 1 per 200,000.) There's no indication it is caused by "vigorous exercise" (like basketball or jogging). Rather, if you already have it, and you jump up and down all day, you're likely to aggravate it.
People are very bad at judging risk. The OP got nailed with a rare condition; thus to him, it's natural to treat this seriously and warn others. The reality is that very few people need to fear this particular problem. Further, aerobic exercise is apparently beneficial for the substantially more common condition of glaucoma, as well as a host of other issues.
So, the general recommendation is that adults should get eye exams every 2-3 years, and increase it to annual when you hit 40. That's from medical professionals, who are well aware of the risks, including the rare ones. Let's stick with that, shall we?
If you want to remind people of that schedule, I think that's great. If you do so based on inaccurate information that scares people, that's less helpful.
08-03-12, 01:09 PM
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08-03-12, 08:18 PM
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It may be a rare condition, but I know two people with it who both happen to be cyclists. Better safe than sorry.
08-04-12, 02:02 PM
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08-05-12, 06:58 PM
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08-05-12, 07:26 PM
#13
Professional Fuss-Budget
It isn't.
Cycling doesn't alter your family history and won't make your iris concave. I'm confident if you asked your doctor whether cycling caused your condition, he or she will say "no." And again, aerobic exercise will actually ward off the far more common types of glaucoma. This is not something cyclists need to fear.
If you ran across two cyclists on this board who had colon cancer, would it be rational to assume that cycling was the cause?
Cycling doesn't alter your family history and won't make your iris concave. I'm confident if you asked your doctor whether cycling caused your condition, he or she will say "no." And again, aerobic exercise will actually ward off the far more common types of glaucoma. This is not something cyclists need to fear.
If you ran across two cyclists on this board who had colon cancer, would it be rational to assume that cycling was the cause?
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