Women's Eye Health

The majority of people who are blind are women!

This is partly because women live longer than men so they are exposed to more serious age-related diseases that can result in blindness.

However, many women don’t realize how important regular eye examinations are for detecting eye diseases like glaucoma.

Hormonal changes throughout a woman’s lifetime can also affect how well her eyes function.

Prevention

Get regular eye exams, particularly if:

1. You are over the age of 40
2. You have diabetes or an autoimmune disease (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus erythematosus)
3. You have a family history of eye disease, like glaucoma

Know the symptoms

Contact an eye doctor immediately if you have any of the following eye symptoms:

• Redness and fluid discharge
• Loss of vision in one or both eyes
• Persistent eye pain
• Double vision
• Flashing lights or objects that appear to float in your vision, such as small black spots or small fluffy objects resembling cobwebs

Protect yourself

Good diet and frequent exercise result in optimum body weight and prevent type II diabetes, which can result in eye-related illnesses.

• Don’t smoke. Smoking increases your risk for eye-related illnesses.
• Wear sunglasses to prevent damage from harmful UV rays.
• Wear protective eyewear for sports and risky work activities involving grinding or exposure to chemicals.
   

Additional information surrounding women's eye health:

www.womenseyehealth.org

Eye Care Questions?

To speak to our eye care clinic's professional optometrists, contact us.