For April, we’ve decided to feature Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month as recognized by the American Academy of Optometrists and many other advocacy groups across the nation. Although blindness and visual impairment knows no bias, it is an important issue because there is a gender inequality in blindness and visual impairments. Statistically, two-thirds of blindness and visual impairments occurs in women, which leads to more than 70% of legally blind people being women! Since women, on average, live longer than men, they bear more of a risk to becoming blind or visually impaired in their lifetimes. Here are some risk factors to consider: smoking, poor diet, lack of exercise, UV ray overexposure and obesity. Here are some more statistics to consider from Women’s Eye Health website (womenseyehealth.org): • Two-thirds of blindness and visual impairment occurs in women • Three quarters of visual impairment is estimated to be preventable or correctable • One third of age-related macular disease and cataract may be due to smoking • Four fifths of blindness and visual impairment occurs in developing countries Though these are staggering statistics, it is worthy to note that many of these causes of blindness are preventable and treatable… Our message to all has been consistent from day one – take care of your vision and see an eye doctor regularly (especially if you are over the age of 40). If you do start to lose your vision, do not feel that your life is over!!!! Healthy?
Posted on: Fri, 25 Apr 2014 18:50:21 +0000
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