As the wife of an ophthalmologist, I have a special appreciation for the value of good eyesight, and a study suggests that lifestyle factors under our direct control may help protect our vision.

For the evaluation, researchers tracked vision and lifestyle factors in nearly 5,000 US adults over a 20-year period. Study subjects who reported engaging in regular exercise, defined as three or more times per week, were 58 percent less likely to develop visual impairment vs. those who were inactive. Additionally, study subjects who reported occasional alcohol use, defined as less than one serving a week, were 49 percent less likely to develop vision problems vs. nondrinkers. Heavy drinkers, on the other hand, were more likely to develop vision problems, as were smokers.

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