Women and Eye Health

Written By: Jay Pepose | May 12, 2011

Did you know that each year, more women than men are diagnosed with vision threatening conditions? For example, of over 2 million Americans over age 50 with macular degeneration, over 1.3 million are women. Women account for 2.3 million of the 4 million Americans age 40 or older with diabetic retinopathy. Overall, women comprise 2.3 of the 3.6 million Americans age 40 or older who are visually impaired to the point where they do not qualify for a driver’s license.

Another common example is the finding that dry eyes are twice as common in women than in men. Underlying theories for these observations vary. For example, some have postulated that decreasing levels of androgens around the time of menopause may play a role in the development of dry eye syndrome.

Women are so involved in caring for their families, that often they may ignore their own health issues. I strongly encourage women to make eye health a priority both for themselves and their families, as many of these conditions can be effectively treated if detected early.

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