EXERCISE INTENSITY DETERMINES THE MAGNITUDE OF IOP DECREASE AFTER RUNNING

The effects of the intensity, duration and quantity (intensity X durat ion) of exercise on the reduction of intraocular pressure (IOP) in hea lthy and physically fit individuals were studied. Five minutes after 1 5 minutes of exercise at 70%, 55% and 40% of maximum exercise load (%H R(max)) the IOP decreased 4.3 +/- 0.7 mmHg, 2.2 +/- 0.7 mmHg and 0.6 /- 0.5 mmHg, respectively. The magnitude of IOP reduction increased wi th exercise load. Running for 7.5 minutes at 70%HR(max) decreased IOP comparable to 15 minutes of running at the same exercise load (4.4 +/- 0.6 mmHg). Twenty-five minutes of running at 40%HR(max) is almost the same quantity of exercise as 15 minutes of running at 70%HR(max). How ever, the former did not result in IOP reductions to equal the latter (2.3 +/- 0.5 vs 4.4 +/- 0.6 mmHg). The amount of IOP reduction after s hort-term exercise seems to depend on the intensity of exercise, not o n the duration of exercise or the quantity of exercise.