Exercise and the odd tipple may save vision
One drink a week could have benefits
An occasional glass of wine and exercise may protect against loss of sight later in life, scientists believe.
Although heavy drinking is associated with poor eyesight, the odd tipple could be more beneficial than complete abstinence.
It may lower the risk of developing sight problems such as age-related macular degeneration, which is expected to affect 700,000 people by 2020.
Researchers from the University of Wisconsin examined the relationships between visual impairment and three lifestyle behaviours — smoking, drinking alcohol and staying physically fit — in nearly 5,000 adults aged 43 to 84 between 1988 to 2013.
Those who consumed alcohol, but less than one drink per week, were 49 per cent less likely to develop vision problems within a 20-year period than those who never drank.
Regularly exercising at least three times a week was found to cut the risk of vision impairment by 58 per cent.
Dr. Ronald Klein, the lead researcher in the study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, said: “It’s promising in terms of possible prevention that these behaviours are associated with developing visual impairment over the long term. However, further research is needed to determine whether modifying these behaviours will in fact lead to a direct reduction in vision loss.”