Women and Eye Health
A web report from The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare’s Eye Health shows that females (59%) experienced a higher prevalence of long-term vision disorders than males (51%) in 2017–18. This divide was much higher in women aged 15-44, where women had at least a 10% higher prevalence. So how is eye health different for women?
Women live longer than men
As women have a longer life expectancy than men, there is a greater chance that they will develop age-related eye problems, such as macular degeneration or cataracts.
Pregnancy
Due to hormone changes in pregnancy, pregnant women may find that they have blurry or poorer vision, scratchy eyes or dry eyes. Luckily this is temporary, and usually disappears after delivery. You can use eye drops to alleviate any dry or scratchiness; just make sure you check that they’re safe for pregnant women.
Menopause
Like pregnancy, menopause leads to significant changes in hormones that can affect a woman’s eye health, and increase their likelihood of experiencing health issues such as dry eyes and macular degeneration.
Makeup
How often do you clean your makeup brushes? Poor hygiene in regards to makeup can lead to bacteria infecting the eyes, causing issues such as dry eyes and conjunctivitis.
Eye conditions that affect women more
Eye conditions such as dry eyes, cataracts and presbyopia (difficulty focusing on near objects) affect women more overall. This could be due to a mixed bag of reasons, from age, hormones and the tendency for women to get any potential health issues checked sooner.
How can I protect my eyes?
There are some simple, everyday things you can do to help protect your eyes:
– protect your eyes from UV rays with sunglasses that have 100% UV protection (see our article on Early UV Protection for more information)
– thoroughly clean makeup brushes and application tools regularly
– use blue light lenses if you spend a lot of time on screens
– reduce screen time where possible, and take regular breaks. Use the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds
– a healthy, balanced diet will ensure your eyes get the nutrients they need
– if you wear contacts, store them correctly and care for them as instructed
– see your optometrist regularly for check ups
– stay alert for any signs of vision issues
If you have any concerns about your eye health, make an appointment here or call 9841 5798.