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Because Women Have Unique Vision Issues, Prevent Blindness Declares April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information:

Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate

Taylor Elder

Phone: 800-301-2020 ext.105

E-mail: [email protected]

Because Women Have Unique Vision Issues, Prevent Blindness Declares April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month

Columbus, Ohio (March 28, 2019) – According to Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety non-profit organization, women have higher rates of eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.  Women have a higher prevalence of Dry Eye and may also experience changes in vision related to pregnancy and menopause.

Prevent Blindness has designated April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month in an effort to educate women about these issues as well as provide recommendations on the best ways to take care of vision.

According to the National Eye Institute, women have greater instances of eye disorders because they tend to live longer, are more likely to undergo certain cancer treatments that may affect vision, and experience normal age-related hormonal changes that may affect their eyes.  Additionally, the American Academy of Ophthalmology states that in general, women are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases than men, many of which affect vision, such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome and hyperthyroidism.

The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness recommends steps that should be taken to protect vision and eye health, including:

    • Getting regular eye exams

 

    • Quitting smoking.

 

    • Consulting a doctor about taking nutritional supplements

 

    • Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and a brimmed hat outdoors

 

    • Learning of any family history of eye disease

 

    • Using eye cosmetics safely

 

    • Using contact lenses safely

 

Expectant mothers and those going through menopause should be aware of possible vision changes. If accessing professional eye care is an issue, the Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness offers their Vision Care Outreach Program which matches qualified individuals to local providers who donate their services including eye exams, eyeglasses and medications. Call 800-301-2020 to learn more about the program.

“More women than men have eye disease and vision loss. But there are steps they can take today to help prevent significant vision loss in the future,” said Sherry Williams, President and CEO of the Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness. “In addition to getting a regular eye exam, we encourage everyone to talk to their eyecare professional about family medical history as well as ask for recommendations about proper eye protection in order to keep eyes as healthy as possible for years to come.”

Long-time Prevent Blindness partner, OCuSOFT ® Inc., a privately-held eye and skin care company dedicated to innovation in eyelid hygiene and ocular health, will support April’s Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month with a donation to Prevent Blindness.

For more information on women’s eye health, including fact sheets on eye diseases, and eye protection, please visit Prevent Blindness, Ohio Affiliate at (800) 301-2020 or visit www.pbohio.org.

About Prevent Blindness   

Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness is the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving sight. The Ohio Affiliate of Prevent Blindness is Ohio’s leading volunteer nonprofit public health organization dedicated to preventing blindness and preserving sight. We serve all 88 Ohio counties, providing direct services to more than 1,000,000 Ohioans annually and educating millions of consumers about what they can do to protect and preserve their precious gift of sight. For more information or to make a contribution, call 800-301-2020.  Or, visit us on the web at www.pbohio.org or facebook.com/pbohio. Or, visit us on the Web at preventblindness.org or facebook.com/preventblindness.