Effects of Exercise on the Structure and Circulation of Choroid in Normal Eyes

AIMS: To determine the effects of dynamic exercise on the circulation and the luminal and stromal areas of the choroid in normal eyes. METHODS: This was a prospective interventional study of 38 eyes of 38 normal subjects enrolled by invitation. The systolic and diastolic blood pressures, heart rate, intraocularpressure, mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP), choroidal blood velocity, and enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomographic (EDI-OCT) images were recorded before, and immediately after mild dynamic exercise. The same measurements were recorded after 10 min of rest. The choroidal blood velocity was measured bylaser speckle flowgraphy, and the mean blur rate was used for the evaluations. The horizontal EDI-OCT images of the subfoveal choroid were converted to binary images. The central choroidal thickness (CCT), total cross sectional choroidal area, luminal areas, stromal areas, and the ratio of luminal area to total choroidal area (L/C ratio) were determined from these images. RESULTS: The systolic and diastolic blood pressures, heart rate, MOPP, and the mean blur rate were significantly increased immediately after the exercise and significantly decreased 10 minutes after the exercise. There wereno significant changes in the mean CCT, the mean total choroidal area, the mean luminal and stromal areas, and the mean L/C ratio after the exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that a rest period is needed before measurements of blood flow velocity but not necessary for the EDI-OCT imaging to determine the choroidal thickness and area.