Cycling improves your eyesight?

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I'm solidly over 40, and need reading glasses to read my phone. When turning on strava at the beginning of the ride, I can't read the screen. However, a couple of hours later, I can see my segment results without needing the glasses.

I had put this down to effects of being away from screens, long distance focusing, bright broad-spectrum light, etc etc ** but now I wonder if bicarbs might have an effect too.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/see-movement-better-by-bicarb/

Makino says heavy exercise—which causes a boost in CO2—might even alter the body's bicarbonate enough to trigger a measurable effect on the eye. "I don't think it's known whether your vision changes under conditions of vigorous exercise. So that'll be an interesting question for the experimental psychologists and the psychophysicists."

Either way, the effect is temporary, but interesting non the less.

** there does seem to be a definite benefit of bright light and long vistas, at least on children's eyes. Kids growing up in Singapore, where even play tends to take place in indoor halls, have a very high percentage of glasses wearing; much higher than their parents. Their cousins in Australia, a genetically similar group but who spend much more time outdoors in bright light, do not show a similar problem.
 

Turbo Rider

Just can't reMember
Certainly interesting - thanks for that :smile:

I do tend to feel more alert during and directly after exercise...maybe there's a trigger from adrenalin, endorphins etc. which stimulates receptors which are already there and alive...be interesting to see the effects on the blind, with regard to shape recognition due to brightness during and post exercise.

There have been numerous studies which highlight detection of movement in the blind, under certain conditions. (I'm no scientist but regularly pick up scientific books and essay collections from Oxfam - love all of that :smile: )
 

young Ed

Veteran
well it is true that exercise of any sort be it swimming, cycling, running etc etc wakes you up and makes you feel more alert and awake etc because of the oxygen, endorphins, adrenalin and just the requirement to concentrate and pay attention to something i believe/ this is exactly why i almost always cycle into school if i know i have an exam that day!
any more than that i don't know
Cheers Ed
 

Ganymede

Veteran
Location
Rural Kent
I'm solidly over 40, and need reading glasses to read my phone. When turning on strava at the beginning of the ride, I can't read the screen. However, a couple of hours later, I can see my segment results without needing the glasses.

I had put this down to effects of being away from screens, long distance focusing, bright broad-spectrum light, etc etc ** but now I wonder if bicarbs might have an effect too.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/podcast/episode/see-movement-better-by-bicarb/



Either way, the effect is temporary, but interesting non the less.

** there does seem to be a definite benefit of bright light and long vistas, at least on children's eyes. Kids growing up in Singapore, where even play tends to take place in indoor halls, have a very high percentage of glasses wearing; much higher than their parents. Their cousins in Australia, a genetically similar group but who spend much more time outdoors in bright light, do not show a similar problem.
I've read research findings that suggest that total time outdoors in childhood has an effect on the development of the eye. You don't have to be playing sport or doing hand-eye co-ordination stuff - just being in natural light for long periods makes your sight better in the long run. And reading under the covers for hours at night does it no good at all, alas...
 

summerdays

Cycling in the sun
Location
Bristol
I find the cold has a knock on effect on my eyesight so that on a winters morning things don't look as sharp. It gets better through the ride I assume as I warm up and gets more blood to the eye. Still avoiding the reading glasses for now though not sure for how much longer.
 

Bazzer

Setting the controls for the heart of the sun.
I think it makes you learn to see rather than to look. - Potholes, obstructions, road space, tosser drivers, etc. Particularly when it's you and your ass that is going to get hurt.:becool:
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
Are we talking here about improvements in the eye or improvements in the brain's interpretation of what the eye is seeing?
 

S.Giles

Guest
I have been myopic for many years, but now my close-up vision is not so good either. My solution is to wear only one contact lens, which seems to be the best possible compromise (one eye for long vision, one for short - with two lenses in, I can no longer read). This works surprisingly well, and has the blessing of my optician, despite halving his profit!
 
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