Differential effect of maximal incremental treadmill exercise on tear secretion and tear film stability in athletes and non-athletes

The study investigated the differential response to a single bout of maximal incremental treadmill exercise between athletes and non-athletes without dry eyes regarding tear secretion, tear film stability, visual acuity (VA), and stereoacuity. Additionally, the study examined the effect of gender and the duration of exercise on exercise induced changes. Study participants included young university students aged 18-25 years who were athletes (male/female: 13/13) or non-athletes (male/female: 17/9). Participants underwent an aerobic exercise session using a treadmill and following the laid down Bruce treadmill test protocol till exhaustion. Measurements were taken in the order of distance VA, stereopsis, non-invasive tear break-up time (TBUT), and phenol red thread test, at baseline and after the exercise regimen. Within-and between-subject analyses using multiple t-tests with correction for multiple comparisons were performed to determine differences before and after exercise in athletes and non-athletes. Subsequently, ANCOVA was used to assess the influence of gender and the duration of exercise. The mean age (SD) of the athletes and the non-athletes was 22.4 +/- 2.1 years and 21.8 +/- 2.1 years, respectively (p = 0.357). Before exercise, the athletes had higher TBUT than non-athletes (14.6 +/- 2.9 s vs. 11.9 +/- 3.8 s; p = 0.021), but no difference was observed in any other ocular measurements. After exercise, the athletes showed significant improvement in tear secretion with the basal tear secretion increasing from 22.3 +/- 2.5 mm to 25.8 +/- 1.7 mm (p < 0.001). The non-athletes on the other hand had a borderline increase in tear secretion from 21.42 +/- 2.85 mm to 23.73 +/- 2.68 mm (p = 0.08). Also, the TBUT was much improved in the athletes after exercise compared to the non-athletes (17.7 +/- 2.7 s vs. 14.8 +/- 2.9 s, p = 0.004). Additionally, exercise improved the VA indifferently between the groups, while stereoacuity was unchanged after exercise in either group. Gender had no influence on the differences in the tear function measures between athletes and non-athletes after exercise. The duration of exercise, however, showed a borderline effect on the tear film stability (p = 0.068) after exercise. Our findings support the differential effect of maximal incremental treadmill exercise on tear secretion and tear film stability between athletes and non-athletes. Thus, increased physical fitness and the duration of exercise might be crucial in the improvement of tear function through aerobic exercise.

Automated summary

The study compared the differential response to maximal incremental treadmill exercise between athletes and non-athletes regarding tear secretion and tear film stability. It found that athletes showed significant improvements in tear secretion and stability compared to non-athletes after exercise, with gender having no influence on the outcomes. The duration of exercise had a borderline effect on tear film stability.