Physical Activity Is Associated with Improved Visuomotor Processing in Older Adults with Moderate and Advanced Glaucomatous Visual Field Defect: A Cross-Sectional Study

Teresa Zwierko, Wojciech Jedziniak, Beata Florkiewicz, Piotr Lesiakowski, Marta Śliwiak, Marta Kirkiewicz and Wojciech Lubiński
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Teresa Zwierko: Laboratory of Kinesiology, Functional and Structural Human Research Center, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 70-240 Szczecin, Poland
Wojciech Jedziniak: Laboratory of Kinesiology, Functional and Structural Human Research Center, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 70-240 Szczecin, Poland
Beata Florkiewicz: Laboratory of Kinesiology, Functional and Structural Human Research Center, Institute of Physical Culture Sciences, University of Szczecin, 70-240 Szczecin, Poland
Piotr Lesiakowski: Department of Physical Education and Sport, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-123 Szczecin, Poland
Marta Śliwiak: II Department of Ophthalmology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
Marta Kirkiewicz: II Department of Ophthalmology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
Wojciech Lubiński: II Department of Ophthalmology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-12

Abstract: Glaucoma affects a wide spectrum of daily essential activities in older adults. This study examined whether older adults with moderate and advanced stages of glaucoma exhibit differences in visuomotor task performance compared with age- and gender-matched ophthalmologically healthy control subjects and estimated the effects of physical activity (PA) levels, age, and severity of visual impairment on patients’ visuomotor task performance. Sixty older adults with moderate glaucoma, advanced glaucoma, and normal sight participated in the study. Visuomotor processing was assessed using laboratory-based simple and complex visuomotor reaction tasks. Monocular Humphrey Visual Field and binocular Humphrey Esterman Visual Field tests were used to estimate visual field defect severity. The International Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess PA levels. Participants with glaucoma had poorer scores in visuomotor tasks compared to participants with normal sight. Glaucoma patients’ PA levels, age, and binocular visual field defect explained 54% of the variation in complex reaction time. Low PA levels were identified as a risk factor for visuomotor processing decline. Compensatory mechanisms to improve the efficiency of visual field scanning in patients with more severe visual field defects may exist.

Keywords: glaucoma; reaction time; physical activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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