News

As time passes and our vision changes, the risk of developing a sight threatening eye condition increases and it’s women who are at the greater risk. In fact, according to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) nearly two thirds of people living with sight loss are women.

A number of factors including a longer life expectancy, hormonal changes and imbalances and an increased prevalence of obesity, put women at increased risk of poor eye health.

The best advice for looking after your eyes and eyesight is to have regular sight tests, once every two years unless advised otherwise by your optometrist, as early diagnosis of common eye conditions such as those described below is vital:

Presbyopia is a condition that affects everyone to some degree as a stiffening of the eye’s crystalline lens occurs as part of the natural ageing process.

It seems that for women from 40years onwards and men from 45years, give or take, they start to need more light, longer arms or larger print to read comfortably. Even the computer or laptop screen goes out of focus when they’re tired and it is not uncommon for people to complain of headaches after prolonged close-work.

Management includes magnifying reading glasses, prescription spectacles or contact lenses or a new type of lens implant surgery, for those who need cataract surgery. Your optometrist will be able explain these options for you.

Dry eye is the most common cause of eye irritation is people aged 65+. Women are most likely to be affected by the condition, which is often prevalent during the menopause when fluctuations in hormone levels affect ocular tissue and the composition of your tears.

A study conducted by the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) found 61% of peri-menopausal and menopausal women suffer from evaporative dry eye.

Some research has suggested that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help alleviate symptoms of dry eye, however, the SWHR research – which studied 25,665 women – found women using HRT (especially oestrogen only) were at increased risk of suffering from the condition.

If you suffer symptoms of dry eye – grittiness, tearing or a feeling that there is something in your eye – speak to your optometrist or pharmacist. They will be happy to advise you on treatment options. These may include dietary changes, eyelid and eyelash hygiene, lubricating eye drops or punctum plugs.

Cataracts. The prevalence of cataracts (clouding of the lens in the eye) is higher in postmenopausal women than in men of the same age.

Symptoms of cataract include blurred vision, ghosting, glare problems, impaired colour perception and poor sight that is not corrected with spectacles or contact lenses.

An estimated that 2.4 million people aged 65 plus in England and Wales have a visually impairing cataract in one or both eyes. In most cases, cataracts can be treated very simply with routine surgery as a day-patient.

Glaucoma. Recent research suggests that early loss of oestrogen, ie women who go into an early menopause, can be associated with an increased risk of development of Primary Open Angle Glaucoma in women who are susceptible.

Glaucoma is the name given to a group of eye conditions, which affect the optic nerve and lead to the progressive loss of your peripheral vision. If left untreated glaucoma can lead to total loss of sight.

Patients with glaucoma are often unaware that there are any problems with their vision as there are no symptoms until it is well down the line - the central vision tends to be affected in advanced glaucoma.

A regular eye exam will pick up the signs long before we notice the symptoms and if detected early, glaucoma can usually be managed with eye drops, although sometimes a minor operation is needed. Regular monitoring is required once the condition is diagnosed.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) – Britain’s leading cause of blindness –usually develops in people aged 50+ and is more common in women than men.

The macular is the part of our eye responsible for what we’re looking at and there are two main types of macular degeneration:

Dry AMD, the most common form, affects around 90% of patients and develops gradually.

Wet AMD affects just 10% of patients. This is a more aggressive form of the condition and can have a significant impact on your vision in a matter of days. It needs to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

AMD is rarely painful; however, patients will begin to notice shadowy areas in their central vision where the retinal cells have been damaged.

Sufferers may also experience blurred, fuzzy or distorted vision. Straight lines may become crooked or wavy and objects can appear an unusual size or shape.

Studies have shown that repeated exposure to UV light can damage the central part of the retina and contribute to the development of AMD. It's therefore important to protect your eyes from the sun by wearing sunglasses or UV protective lenses whenever the UV Index rises to 3 or more.

Remember, a child’s eyes absorb up to half their lifetime exposure by the time they are 18yrs, so protecting them when they’re young will help to avoid problems later on.

Nutrition plays a vital role in preserving your overall eye health. Research has shown that eating just one portion of fish a week may reduce your risk of developing AMD by up to 40%.

Quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight are also essential to help maintain good eye health.

Published : 23 September 2014