As April comes to a close, we think it’s important to reflect on the importance of women’s eye health.
Two out of every three people living with blindness or vision problems are women, according to the National Eye Institute. Data from The Future of Vision: Forecasting the Prevalence and Costs of Vision Problems study shows that women are at higher risk for certain eye diseases and conditions. Prevent Blindness has declared April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month in an effort to educate the public on the increased risk for women and vision health issues, as well as steps that can be taken to prevent vision loss.
Women have a higher prevalence of major vision problems, including:
Age-related Macular Degeneration
Autoimmune Diseases (such as Lupus)
Cataract
Dry Eye
Glaucoma
Low Vision
Thyroid Eye Disease
Refractive Error
According to the World Health Organization’s World Report on Vision, women, on average, live longer than men. They’re at greater risk of developing eye conditions associated with aging. Global estimates suggest that women with moderate and severe presenting distance vision impairment outnumber men by approximately 7 percent. Gender and financial disparities can also create barriers to eyecare access for women. A recent study published in JAMA Ophthalmology found that although women were more likely to use eye care, they are also more likely to report difficulty affording eyeglasses than men.
In addition to eye disease and conditions, women have unique health issues related to pregnancy and menopause due to fluctuating hormone levels. Women may notice changes in their ability to see clearly during pregnancy. Women with pre-existing conditions, like glaucoma, high blood pressure or diabetes, need to alert their eye doctor that they are pregnant (or planning to become pregnant). Additionally, dry eye leading to a clinical diagnosis or severe symptoms affects more than 3.2 million American women middle-aged and older.
As ophthalmologists and optometrists re-open their practices after pauses due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important that women make their vision health a priority to help detect vision issues early. Early and consistent treatment for most eye diseases can significantly reduce the risk of vision loss.
“We know that many women play a key role in the overall health of their whole families,” said Jeff Todd, president and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage them to take a moment to ensure their own vision health today and help protect eyesight in the future.”
For more information on women’s eye health, including fact sheets on eye diseases and eye protection, please visit PreventBlindness.org or call (800) 331-2020. Prevent Blindness offers a free listing of financial assistance services in English and Spanish at: preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information/.
Traditionally speaking, spring cleaning is thought to have originated with Jewish Passover practices. For seven days prior to Passover, practitioners abstain from consuming all food products leavened with yeast, including crumbs. This custom requires a thorough house cleaning, from top to bottom. Since Passover falls in the spring, the birth of “spring cleaning” traditions began. In more modern times, it’s often an opportunity to give one’s house a full scrubbing after the long winter months.
Spring Cleaning Tips For Eye Health
If you decide to give your house a cleaning overhaul, be sure to follow these tips that also have eye health benefits.
Dates Are Important
Organize your medicine cabinet and throw away any expired products. These products can include old contact storage containers, saline solution, and other eye health products. However, do not flush any medications down the toilet, as it can contaminate water supplies. We recommend contacting your pharmacist or local law enforcement to inquire about recommended medication drop off locations.
Dust Everything
A thorough dusting of your home can help to prevent eye allergies and irritation. As you know, springtime is generally considered the worst time of year for seasonal allergies. We recommend changing out your furnace/air conditioning air filters, carefully dusting every surface, and resealing doors and windows to prevent what’s outside from coming in.
Donate Old Eyewear
Have you already had LASIK? Great! We’re so happy that you’re seeing clearer than clear. However, we’re guessing you probably have lots of old glasses and sunglasses around. Instead of throwing away the expensive frames, contact us to donate gently used glasses to those who cannot afford them.
Don’t Forget The Floors
Carpets and rugs are one of the biggest eye allergen offenders. They collect everything, including pollen, dust, and pet dander. Be sure to vacuum your floors frequently. As part of your spring cleaning efforts, you may also consider renting a carpet steam cleaner to handle a heavy duty scrubbing. Your eyes will thank you for it!
We’re loving the first signs of spring and are so ready for it. However, we’re happy to stay inside to help our patients with their complimentary LASIK consultations. Set yours up today.
About 34 million people in the United States wear contacts, and the majority of them aren’t that crazy about them. Some just haven’t been brave enough to make a change yet. If you’re tired of dealing with the hassles of contacts, it’s time to consider LASIK vision correction. You’re going to be okay! Your life with be easier and hassle free without contacts. You deserve to wake up and remember that this is your life and this life is what you make of it.
Clear vision without contacts is possible. Laser Eye Surgery of Erie believes vision correction, whenever medically possible, is a better solution. We are dedicated to providing all our patients with their best vision achievable. LASIK has the highest patient satisfaction rate of any elective medical procedure ever reported, at over 97%!
Simply put, studies show that vision correction, regardless the stage of life, leads to a higher quality of life. Let’s take a look at all the reasons why you should pursue LASIK and kiss contacts goodbye. Are you interested in taking the next step? Check LASIK candidacy by clicking the button below:
You Will Love LASIK’s Lasting Benefits
Freedom – wake up, see the alarm clock and get up and go at a moment’s notice!
Lifestyle – enjoy sports, traveling, exercising and more without contacts holding you back. Enjoy the active lifestyle you deserve.
Time Saver – save yourself time and go without the daily contacts routine. Leave behind the hassles, worries and stress!
Money Saver – the one time cost of LASIK saves thousands of dollars over a lifetime by ending the cycle of buying contacts, solutions and supplies.
With LASIK, you will forget the pain of contacts and all the days when contacts treated you badly. So go on, get out there and live your life free from the hassles of contacts. Right now has never been a better time.
Now that we’ve got your attention, you may be thinking “Is LASIK right for me?” It’s very likely! LASIK is a life-changing, transformational experience and approximately 90% of people who wear glasses or contacts are eligible to have their vision corrected! If you would like to know more about LASIK or schedule your LASIK consultation, please call us at 814-455-7591
The eyes have it – ocular health is key to maintaining lifelong sight! But all peeper puns aside, January is Glaucoma Awareness Month.
Glaucoma is the term for a set of diseases that damages the optic nerve, resulting in vision loss and blindness. The most common form of glaucoma results in an increase in eye pressure. This key symptom is what is measured by that tiny puff of air administered during your optometry visits. Imbalance in the production and drainage of fluid in the eye causes high pressure, which damages the optic nerve. There are often no early symptoms detected by individuals as vision loss begins with peripheral sight. In fact, 50% of people with glaucoma are not aware they have the disease. Amazingly, as much as 40% of vision can be lost before a person will notice changes to their sight. These imperceptible symptoms are why glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness worldwide.
Healthy Habits
Besides being aware of your risk for glaucoma, it is important to keep your eyes as as healthy as possible. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from damaging ultraviolet rays. Always wear protective eyewear when playing sports or working in conditions with flying debris or dust. Give your eyes a rest for 20 seconds every 20 minutes while reading, watching television, or looking at your computer for extended periods of time. Eat a diet rich in fruits and dark leafy greens such as spinach and kale to promote health internally. Externally, avoid touching your eyes as much as possible. If you need to touch your eyes, always wash your hands prior to cleaning your eyes or inserting contact lenses.
Maintaining overall health is also key to eye health, which is why it is important to watch your weight, avoid smoking, control your blood pressure, and get at least 30 minutes of physical activity daily. Those at the highest risk for glaucoma are people with family members who are diagnosed with the disease, African Americans over the age 40, and everyone over the age 60, especially Hispanic and Latino populations.
Currently more than 3 million Americans are diagnosed with glaucoma. This number is expected to increase by 58% by the year 2030, which is why it is so important to adhere to the above guidelines. In addition, it is crucial to schedule yearly comprehensive eye exams to catch any symptoms as early as possible. Progress of the disease can be slowed by medications and/or surgery, but as of now there is no cure for glaucoma. If you are interested in reading about or donating to research for the cure for glaucoma, you can visit the Glaucoma Research Foundation for more information at www.Glaucoma.org.
Your Eyes Are A Precious Gift–Protect Them During The Holidays
The holiday season does present a real eye injury threat. For those who celebrate Christmas, that risk begins even before the actual day. Some of the most frequent holiday-related eye injuries come from the Christmas tree itself. Holiday eye safety begins with the acquisition of the tree. If you are cutting down your own tree, please wear eye protection when doing the cutting–especially if you are going to be using a mechanical saw such as a chain saw. You also need to be careful of your eyes when loading a tree on top of the car. It is easy to get poked in the eye when heaving the tree up over your head. Once back at home, take care to make sure no one else is standing close to the tree if you had it wrapped and now need to cut the netting off. The tree branches often spring out suddenly once the netting is released.
Other injuries occur in the mounting and decorating phase. Sharp needles, pointy lights, and glass ornaments all pose significant eye injury risk. If you are spraying anything like artificial tree snow on the branches be sure to keep those chemicals out of your eyes. Having now successfully trimmed the tree without injury, let’s move talk toys.
We want to spend the holiday happily exchanging gifts in front of a warm fire, drinking some eggnog, and snacking on cookies–not going to the emergency room with an injury.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission reported there were 254,200 toy-related emergency room visits in 2015, with 45% of those being injuries to the head and face–including the eyes.
“Avoid purchasing toys with sharp, protruding or projectile parts.”
“Make sure children have appropriate supervision when playing with potentially hazardous toys or games that could cause an eye injury.”
“Ensure that laser product labels include a statement that the device complies with 21 CFR (the Code of Federal Regulations) Subchapter J.”
“Along with sports equipment, give children the appropriate protective eyewear with polycarbonate lenses. Check with your eye doctor to learn about protective gear recommended for your child’s sport.”
“Check labels for age recommendations and be sure to select gifts that are appropriate for a child’s age and maturity.”
“Keep toys that are made for older children away from younger children.”
“If your child experiences an eye injury from a toy, seek immediate medical attention.”
More specifically, there is a yearly list of the most dangerous toys of the season put out by the people at W.A.T.C.H. (world against toys causing harm).
Here are their 10 worst toy nominees for 2018, with four on the list that are specifically there for potential eye injury risk.
Here are other toys to avoid:
Guns that shoot ANY type of projectile. This includes toy guns that shoot lightweight, cushy darts.
Water balloon launchers and water guns. Water balloons fired from a launcher can easily hit the eye with enough force to cause a serious eye injury. Water guns that generate a forceful stream of water can also cause significant injury, especially when shot from close range.
Aerosol string. If it hits the eye it can cause chemical conjunctivitis, a painful irritation of the eye.
Toy fishing poles. It is easy to poke the eyes of nearby children.
Laser pointers and bright flashlights. The laser or other bright lights, if shined in the eyes for a long enough time, can cause permanent retinal damage.
There are plenty of great toys and games out there that pose much lower risk of injury so choose wisely, practice good Christmas eye safety, and have a great holiday season!
This blog provides general information and discussion about eye health and related subjects. The words and other content provided in this blog, and in any linked materials, are not intended and should not be construed as medical advice. If the reader or any other person has a medical concern, he or she should consult with an appropriately licensed physician.
