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Schaumburg, IL - Within seven months, three
generations of women in one family were affected by vision
problems. Emily Bennett, a professional artist, started to
notice that a yellowish haze clouded her normally keen sense
of color. When it began to affect her painting adversely, that
is when she decided to go to her eye doctor. Bennett, age 79,
was diagnosed with cataracts in both eyes. Just a few days
after undergoing surgery, Bennett was amazed at the results.
It was as if a haze had been lifted from in front of her eyes.
She had not realized how compromised her vision had become,
because the effects of the cataract were gradual.
According to Prevent Blindness America (PBA),
out of the estimated 20.5 million Americans age 40 and older
with cataract, 12.7 million women are affected. It is not
known why cataract is more prevalent in women than men. It is
believed that longtime exposure to ultraviolet rays may lead
to cataract. PBA recommends that anyone spending time outdoors
protects his or her eyes with sunglasses - it is one good way
that to help protect your future vision from cataract and
other conditions.
At about the same time that her mother had
cataract surgery, 48-year-old Beth Andrews began having some
troublesome eye problems. Her eyes felt dry and irritated
nearly all the time, especially when she was working on the
computer. Andrews went to her mother's eye doctor and was told
that she had the start of presbyopia and dry eye syndrome. The
doctor prescribed glasses for close-up work and
non-prescription eye drops. Andrews, who had always had 20/20
vision, was experiencing a common aging eye problem that
affects men and women alike, usually at age 40 to 50. Dry eye
syndrome affects women almost exclusively, frequently during
pregnancy and post-menopause, due to hormone fluctuations.
Andrew's daughter Melissa Harris, age 26,
was pregnant with her first child. In the first trimester,
Harris developed very bad migraine headaches that made her
eyes sensitive to light. Her primary care doctor told her that
the problems would subside by the second trimester, but if
they did not, that she should go to an eye doctor. She was
also experiencing some of the same symptoms as her mother -
dry, irritated eyes. These kinds of eye problems can be common
during pregnancy. If a woman has diabetes, high blood pressure
or glaucoma - vision changes and prescriptions should be
carefully monitored and discussed with all doctors.
PBA has developed the following list of
general eye problems to help women take better care of their
vision and raise awareness about potential risks:
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Women develop
cataract more often than men -accounting for nearly 63% of
the estimated 20.5 million cases of cataract in Americans
age 40 and older.
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Women may
develop common eye problems during pregnancy, many of
which clear up on their own. However, extra care must be
taken if a woman has diabetes, glaucoma, high blood
pressure or vision problems that do not go away.
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Dry eye
syndrome is far more common in women, affecting 90% of
women and only 10% of men. It is more frequent in
post-menopausal and pregnant women. The condition can
usually be controlled through the use of over-the-counter
eye drops (artificial tears).
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Presbyopia is a
progressive condition that makes reading or close-up work
more difficult. It is very common, even in individuals
with perfect eyesight, and usually begins in your 40's or
50's.
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Eye cosmetics
may cause eye infections, irritations, corneal injuries,
and allergies if misused. Extra precautions must be taken
if you wear contact lenses.
For free information on women's eye health
issues, call PBA at 1-800-331-2020. Fact sheets are available
on pregnancy, dry eye syndrome, and eye cosmetics, and a
general brochure on cataract is offered.
Click
here to download the pdf version of this press release.
Founded in 1908, Prevent Blindness America
is the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety
organization dedicated to fighting blindness and saving
sight. Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care,
Prevent Blindness America touches the lives of millions of
people each year through public and professional education,
certified vision screening training, community and patient
service programs and research. These services are made
possible through the generous support of the American
public. Together with a network of affiliates, divisions and
chapters, it's committed to eliminating preventable
blindness in America. For more information, or to make a
contribution to the sight-saving fund, call 1-800-331-2020
or visit us on the web at www.preventblindness.org.
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