Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Intraocular Pressure among Athletes and Non-Athletes

Abstract

Background: Aerobic exercise has been shown to influence intraocular pressure (IOP), yet comparative data between trained athletes and untrained individuals remain scarce. This study characterised the gender and sex distribution of a cohort of athletes and non-athletes and compared their IOP during and after a standardised aerobic exercise session. Methods: Thirty-one athletes (16F, 15M; mean age 22.3 ± 2.4 years) and 28 non-athletes (14F, 14M; mean age 20.3 ± 1.5 years) were enrolled. IOP was measured in both eyes (OD and OS) using non contact tonometry during and after exercise, with groups compared statistically at each timepoint and adjusted for age and sex. Results: The overall sample was closely balanced for sex (50.8% female, 49.2% male), with no significant difference in sex distribution between athletes and non-athletes (chi-square p=1.000). Athletes demonstrated significantly lower IOP than non-athletes at both timepoints in both eyes (all p<0.05). Conclusions: Athletic training is associated with a sex-balanced sample showing consistently lower IOP than non-athletes during and after aerobic exercise, independent of age and sex, suggesting a genuine protective ocular adaptation associated with habitual physical training.