Why Women Need to Look Out For Their Eyes

Everyone, male and female, needs to take care of their eyes. Workplace conditions and environmental factors, like bright sunshine and pollen, affect the quality of our sight. As we age, we deal with diseases and conditions including age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, diabetic eye disease, glaucoma, low vision and dry eye.

Women have their own special needs when it comes to vision. That is why the month of April has been designated specifically as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. Hormonal changes, age and smoking can endanger their sight. For example, women are more likely than men to develop dry eye. Women who are pregnant, on certain types of birth control, hormone replacement therapy or experiencing menopause have increased rates of the condition.

Whether at work or at home, staring at a computer screen can cause eye strain. Make your office more comfortable by placing the screen 20 to 26 inches away from your eyes and a little bit below eye level. Change the lighting to lower the glare and reduce harsh reflections. A glare filter over the screen can also help.

As children, we were told to eat carrots to improve our vision. It turns out that certain other foods are good for our eyes, including dark leafy greens, such as spinach, kale or collard greens. (There is another benefit: these are good, high-fiber foods, too.) Also beneficial is eating fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna and halibut. Read "A Healthy Diet Can Help Protect Vision" on the Prevent Blindness America website. You'll also find a series of informative fact sheets about eye care. Then check out these 10 simple tips for healthy eyes.