Immediate Effect of Yoga Exercises for Eyes on the Macular Thickness

BACKGROUND: Yoga exercises for eyes have been advocated as beneficial to eye health. In a previous study, we evaluated the effect of yoga exercises for eyes on the intraocular pressure (IOP). The other aspects of the effects of yoga exercises for eyes to ocular structure have not been investigated yet. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of yoga exercises for eyes on the macular structure using the optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) parameters. METHODS: Twenty-nine participants were included in this masked within participant comparison of healthy controls. Basic ophthalmic examination was performed, after which patients were evaluated for IOP, OCT, and OCTA before and after yoga exercises for eyes. OCT/A parameters that were evaluated were: average macular thickness (AMT) (μm), central macular thickness (μm), central choroidal thickness (μm) vessel density (%) in the superficial, deep vascular layers, and in the choriocapillaris. RESULTS: IOP was significantly reduced (postexercise IOP = 13.02 mmHg ± 2.82 mmHg) from the initial value (preexercise IOP = 13.86 mmHg ± 2.85 mmHg, P = 0.02). AMT significantly increased (postexercise AMT = 275.40 μm ± 10.85 μm) from the preexercise measurement (preexercise AMT = 274.41 μm ± 10.89 μm; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: After yoga ocular exercises, IOP significantly decreased and AMT significantly increased in healthy controls, suggesting an effect of these exercises on the macular thickness.