When my sister was in elementary school, she started always sitting in the front row of desks at school. One of her teachers noticed this habit and arranged a meeting with my parents. This caring teacher told my parents that she thought my sister needed glasses. When my sister visited an optometrist, this professional diagnosed her with a severe case of astigmatism. He also informed my parents that she was nearsighted as well. Due to her eye issues, my sister had to start wearing glasses all of the time. Her new glasses helped her tremendously in school. She no longer had to sit in the front of the classroom in order to view the notes placed on the board. On this blog, you will discover the importance of getting your kids’ eyes checked by an optometrist before enrolling them in school.
It is not common to think about sex as a risk factor for the development of eye problems, but certain eye diseases are more common in women. Understanding your personal risk can make you more diligent about having routine eye exams and identifying problems in the earlier stages.
Pregnancy
Obstetric visits throughout your pregnancy are necessary to identify problems that can affect the health of you and your unborn baby. Several issues that can arise during pregnancy can also damage your eyes. When pre-eclampsia develops, women have high blood pressure, increased swelling in their legs, headaches, and protein in their urine. Just like high blood pressure can eventually damage your eyes without being pregnant, the sudden onset of pre-eclampsia may lead to increased eye pressure and long-term damage. Another concern is gestational diabetes. High levels of blood glucose can damage blood vessels and nerves, including those in your eyes.
Autoimmune Diseases
For an unknown reason, most autoimmune diseases disproportionately affect women. Some autoimmune diseases that are more common in women are lupus, multiple sclerosis, and scleroderma. Although these conditions may not directly affect the eyes, a hyperactive immune system can begin to attack almost any part of the body. One autoimmune disease that most commonly affects the eyes is Sjogren's syndrome. This condition causes inflammation in mucous secreting glands, which includes the tear ducts and salivary glands. Sometimes it is difficult to distinguish between Sjogren's and other causes of chronic dry eye. Since many autoimmune diseases are also treated with oral steroids, even occasionally, there can be an increased risk in developing cataracts from steroid use.
Longevity
On average, women live longer than men. This means many age-related eye disorders are seen at a higher frequency in women later in life. For example, cataracts, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration are all eye conditions that become increasingly common as you age. Additionally, other chronic diseases that increase your risk of age-related eye diseases are also more likely to occur as you age, such as hypertension and diabetes. Since women have a longer lifespan, this means poorly controlled chronic diseases may have more time to cause irreversible eye damage. The importance of lifestyle modification and adequate control of chronic diseases cannot be underestimated.
Women may need to pay special attention to their eye health since there are several concerns that increase their predisposition to eye problems. Regular eye exams, especially visits to an ophthalmologist for women with chronic diseases, can give you the best possible chance of preserving your eyesight. Click here to continue reading more about what women can do to retain good vision and avoid chronic eye problems.
Share24 May 2019
