Purpose: To examine the mental and physical effects of exercise intervention on visually impaired individuals.
Participants and methods: Participants were aged between 20 and 80 years and met the criteria of "less than 0.5 corrected visual acuity in the better eye" or "with scotomas or defects in the visual field (both eyes or one eye)." Participants underwent a 60-minute exercise program every day for 8 weeks, and an exercise therapist measured their body fat percentage, average grip strength, maximum oxygen uptake, and 2-step score every 2 weeks. Data obtained by conducting the Profile of Mood States, 2nd Edition, Japanese version (POMS2) and the 25-item National Eye Institute Visual Functioning Questionnaire (VFQ-25) at weeks 0 and 8, before and after exercise intervention, were compared. A questionnaire survey was conducted after the exercise intervention.
Results: The 2-step score improved significantly. the POMS2 and VFQ-25 scores tended to improve, however no significant difference were observed. In the questionnaire administered after the exercise intervention, the "satisfaction level" was generally high and the most desired opinions were "interacting with other people who have undergone the same program" and "videos with audio guides," in that order.
Conclusion: Exercise intervention for visually impaired individuals may improve their mental and physical health.
Nippon Ganka Gakkai Zasshi (J Jpn Ophthalmol Soc) 127: 748-755, 2023.