Women Over 40 at Special Risk of Blindness

It’s important for females to take care of their eyes, not only when they reach old age, but when they are younger as well. According to the World Health Organization, girls and women make up 1/3 of the world’s blind. A lot of women don’t take care of their eyes as they should, leading to eye problems down the line. By the time you’re 40 years old, you will likely be reading books up close and personal. Leaving a problem like this unchecked will only lead to worsened eye conditions.

Getting Regular Eye Exams

Going to your eye doctor once a year can help to detect the onset of certain eye conditions like glaucoma, cataracts or a variety of other diseases. This is especially so for women who have already gone through menopause. Women over 40 years old who have diabetes and high blood pressure are at an even higher risk of having eye diseases due to retinal degeneration.

Common Eye Conditions in Women Over 40

Although these eye diseases are also found in men, it is much more common in women over 40 years old. This includes glaucoma, thyroid disease and cataracts. It is also common for women to become blind due to glaucoma.

Getting Professional Eye Care

Women over 40 will need to either see an optometrist or an ophthalmologist. Both of these are eye professionals, but in different areas of the industry. Ophthalmologists are specialized eye doctors that offer surgical care and other treatments for serious eye conditions. Optometrists handle acute eye care, diagnosis, minor surgeries, examinations and other forms of primary care.