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More Women Losing Sight to Eye Disease Than Men
Prevent
Blindness Mid-Atlantic Urges Women to Help Protect their Vision with
a Dilated Eye Exam
More
women than men are diagnosed with vision threatening eye disease
every year. Potentially blinding diseases such as glaucoma,
cataracts, macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy strike women
in some cases twice as much as men. Although the theories for the
cause of this vary, the numbers illustrate a disturbing truth.
An
updated report from Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye
Institute shows that not only have the numbers of age-related eye
disease risen across the board, but that women are still largely more
affected than men. For example, of the more than 2 million Americans
age 50 and older that have AMD, more than 1.3 million of those cases
are women. And, of the 4.4 million Americans ages 40 and older that
have diabetic retinopathy, 2.3 million are female.
Of the
more than 3.6 million Americans
age 40 and older who suffer from visual impairment, including
blindness, 2.3 million are women. Vision impairment is defined as
having 20/40 or worse vision in the better eye even with eyeglasses.
Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic has designated April as Women’s Eye
Health and Safety Month to raise awareness of these issues.
The 2008
update from the “Vision Problems in the U.S.” study confirmed
earlier projections that as the baby boomer population continues to
age, the number of those diagnosed with vision problems is also
increasing. Vision loss not only detracts from quality of life, it
also has a significant burden on the U.S. economy. Prevent Blindness
America estimates that costs associated with visual impairment and
blindness costs $51.4 billion year.
Prevent
Blindness Mid-Atlantic urges all Americans to make an eye appointment
immediately if they have the following symptoms:
- Unusual trouble adjusting to dark rooms
- Difficulty focusing on near or distant objects
- Squinting or blinking due to unusual sensitivity to light or glare;
- Change in color of iris
- Red-rimmed, encrusted or swollen lids
- Recurrent pain in or around eyes
- Double vision
- Dark spot at the center of viewing
- Lines and edges appear distorted or wavy
- Excess tearing or "watery eyes”
- Dry eyes with itching or burning
- Seeing spots or ghost-like images
For more
information on eye disease, please visit click
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» What You Might Not Know...
About Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic
Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic is the only local
volunteer-based nonprofit organization whose sole
mission is to preserve sight and prevent blindness.
The primary means of accomplishing our mission
since 1957 is through vision screenings
for both children and adults, providing support groups
for seniors, and supplying public and professional education
and information. For more information, or to
contribute to the sight-saving fund, call toll-free,
(888) 790-2020, ext. "0." We also gratefully accept
online donations here at this web site!
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