Influences of kendo practice on visual function from youth to middle age.

Abstract

Many physiological functions and muscle strength decrease with age, and visual function is no exception. Therefore, we evaluated age-related changes in visual function from youth to middle age and the effects of daily Kendo practiced by the exercise habit on age-related changes. As visual function, 8 items,(static visual acuity (SVA), kinetic visual acuity (KVA), dynamic visual acuity (DVA), contrast sensitivity (CS), depth perception (DP), ocular motor skill (OMS), visual reaction time (VRT), eye/hand coordination (E/H)) were measured.
We found that the 8 items measured in this study were not completely independent but affect one another. In particular, KVA and CS may be improved by accurate correction of SVA. DVA, VRT and E/H decreases from youth to middle age on non-exercise group. KVA, DVA, VRT and E/H decreases from youth to middle age, but the rate of such decreases may be slowed by Kendo practiced by the exercise habit.