April is Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month
Prevent Blindness, a national organization that the Delta Gamma Foundation supports through Service for Sight grants, has designated April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. According to the National Eye Institute, two out of every three people living with blindness or vision problems are women. This important initiative aims to increase awareness about eye diseases and conditions that disproportionately affect women.
Why are women at higher risk?
For some women, fluctuations in hormones due to pregnancy, perimenopause or menopause can bring on such changes. For postmenopausal women, dry eye syndrome can increase twofold according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology.
Other eye related disorders that can afflict women on a large scale are age related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma, thyroid eye disease and refractive error.
In regard to eye safety, it is important to understand and implement safe usage of contact lenses, cosmetics and UV protection precautions. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that two-thirds of the 45 million Americans who wear contact lenses are women.
Early detection is key.
Early detection is essential in preventing or treating eye concerns which is why Prevent Blindness recommends regular eye exams for all adults, especially if you have a chronic health condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure. Learn more from Prevent Blindness and how to support your eye health here.