High-Power Glasses and Gym? This Could Harm Your Eyes
When an eye doctor prescribes glasses, the advice that comes with them is just as important as the prescription itself. These instructions are not optional. Ignoring them can put your eyesight at serious risk. One such warning often given to people with high-power glasses and weight-lifting restrictions is to avoid heavy lifting, and there is a strong medical reason behind it.
Recently, an Indian ophthalmologist explained on social media why lifting heavy weights can be dangerous for people with strong spectacle power, especially those with high myopia (near-sightedness).
What Do High-Power Glasses Actually Mean?
If you have been prescribed high-power glasses, it usually indicates high myopia. In simple terms, this means your eyeball is longer than normal. Because of this increased length, the retina, the thin, light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye, becomes stretched and fragile.
Doctors warn that in such eyes, even minor stress can cause damage. This is why high-power glasses and weight lifting often do not go well together.
What Happens to Your Eyes During Heavy Weight Lifting?
When people lift heavy weights, they often hold their breath and strain without realising it. This action suddenly increases pressure inside the chest and head. That pressure quickly travels to the eyes.
According to eye specialists, this sudden pressure spike can pull on an already weak retina. In people with high myopia, this stress can be enough to cause a retinal tear or, in severe cases, a retinal detachment.
Why Retinal Detachment Is a Medical Emergency
A retinal detachment is not a minor eye problem. It requires urgent surgery and can lead to permanent vision loss if not treated in time. Many patients do not regain full eyesight even after treatment.
This is why ophthalmologists strongly caution patients with high myopia to avoid activities that sharply increase eye pressure. Once again, the link between high-power glasses and weight lifting becomes very clear.
Is Any Amount of Weight Safe?
If you are determined to stay active, eye doctors recommend keeping weights very light, generally below 10 pounds (around 4.5 kg). Every day activities should also be done carefully.
Using trolleys, asking for help, and avoiding sudden strain are simple ways to protect your eyes. Breathing out while lifting, instead of holding your breath, can also reduce dangerous pressure buildup.
Conclusion
Fitness is important, but eyesight is irreplaceable. Doctors emphasise that no workout is worth the risk of losing vision. If your ophthalmologist has advised against heavy lifting, it is essential to follow that guidance strictly.
In short, when it comes to high-power glasses and weight lifting, caution is not fear; it is prevention. Listening to your eye doctor today could protect your vision for life.
Source:Â Inputs from various media SourcesÂ
I’m a pharmacist with a strong background in health sciences. I hold a BSc from Delhi University and a pharmacy degree from PDM University. I write articles and daily health news while interviewing doctors to bring you the latest insights. In my free time, you’ll find me at the gym or lost in a sci-fi novel.
- Health News and Updates,People Forum
- 27 December 2025
- 20:00
