Vision care is critical for everyone, but some factors can adversely affect women’s eye health specifically. Learn more about what these factors are and how they can impact women’s eye health and vision.*

What factors affect women’s eye health?

According to the University of Utah Health:

• Sixty-three percent (63%) of people with any visual impairment are women.
• Sixty-six percent (66%)of people who are blind are women.
• Sixty-five (65%) of people with age-related macular degeneration (AMD), 61% of people with glaucoma, and 61% of people with cataracts are women.

Some reasons for this include:

• Women typically live longer than men, which places women at higher risk for AMD, cataracts, and glaucoma. 
• Women are more likely than men to develop autoimmune conditions, which are often accompanied by vision issues.
• Women are likely to experience certain eye conditions, such as dry-eye, as a result of age-related hormonal changes.
• Women who are caregivers are less likely to address their health issues.

“We need to engage women in caring for their eye health,” said Mary Elizabeth Hartnett, M.D., of the John A. Moran Eye Center. “Women may be less likely to access health care for themselves…to manage family concerns or take care of others.” 

A need for more eye health education

According to a survey by vision advocacy organization Prevent Blindness:

• Less than 10% of women know that they are at a greater risk of permanent vision loss than men.
• Eight-six percent (86%) of women incorrectly believe that men and women are at equal risk.
• Five percent (5%) think that men are at greater risk.
• One in four (1 in 4) women has not had an eye exam in the last two years.  

Adequate eye health education is the key to improving women’s understanding of and care for their vision.

How to protect your eyes

Some crucial steps that you can take to support your eye health include:

• Get dilated eye exams regularly.
• Eat foods that are good for eye health, like fresh fruits (especially citrus); green, leafy vegetables; and protein sources, like eggs, nuts, beans, and oily fish (salmon and tuna).
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Manage any health conditions you may have that can affect your eye health, like diabetes and hypertension.
• Don’t smoke cigarettes. Quit smoking if you do.
• Know your family medical history, and share it with your eye doctor. 
• Use protective eyewear when doing household chores or yard work, playing sports, or working on a job that involves flying debris, sparks, or chemicals. 
• Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from ultraviolet (UV) rays. Glasses that block 99% to 100% of UVA and UVB rays are best. 

Dr. Hartnett emphasized telling your eye doctor if anything out of the ordinary occurs, especially if you’re taking all the right steps to protect yourself.

“It is important that everyone, including women, be aware of symptoms like floaters, light flashes, or distorted vision—all possible signs of more serious retinal conditions,” Harnett said. “That’s important because if we can intervene at an early stage, we can often prevent vision loss.”

*University of Utah Health. (2019, Apr. 22). Women’s Eye Health: Why It’s Different. https://healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed/postings/2019/04/womens-eye.php

Any sources from outside of Prevent Blindness do not imply an endorsement from Prevent Blindness. The contents of the material used are the responsibility of the authoring organization, Responsum Health.