News

2019: April is Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month

IMMEDIATE RELEASE  

                                                                                                                                                                                    For more information:

                                                                                                                                                                 Prevent Blindness Northeast Region

                                                                                                                                                                                                Priscilla Kelangi

                                                                                                                                                                                      Phone: (312)-363-6037

                                                                                                                                                                         [email protected]

 

       Because Women Have Unique Vision Issues, Prevent Blindness Northeast Region Declares April as

                                                      Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month

Boston, MA (March 28, 2019) – According to Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest eye health and safety non-profit organization, women have higher rates of eye diseases such as cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration.  Women have a higher prevalence of Dry Eye and may also experience changes in vision related to pregnancy and menopause.

Prevent Blindness NE Region has designated April as Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month in an effort to educate women about these issues as well as provide recommendations on the best ways to take care of vision. 

According to the National Eye Institute, women have greater instances of eye disorders because they tend to live longer, are more likely to undergo certain cancer treatments that may affect vision, and experience normal age-related hormonal changes that may affect their eyes.  Additionally, the American Academy of Ophthalmology states that in general, women are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases than men, many of which affect vision, such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome and hyperthyroiditis. 

Prevent Blindness NE Region recommends steps that should be taken to protect vision and eye health, including:

  • Getting regular eye exams
  • Quitting smoking.
  • Consulting a doctor about taking nutritional supplements
  • Wearing UV-blocking sunglasses and a brimmed hat outdoors
  • Learn of any family history of eye disease
  • Using eye cosmetics safely
  • Using contact lenses safely

Expectant mothers and those going through menopause should be aware of possible vision changes. If cost is an issue, Prevent Blindness NE Region offers a free listing of financial assistance services in English and Spanish at:  https://www.preventblindness.org/vision-care-financial-assistance-information.

Long-time Prevent Blindness partner, OCuSOFT ® Inc., a privately-held eye and skin care company dedicated to innovation in eyelid hygiene and ocular health, will support April’s Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month with a donation to Prevent Blindness.

More women than men have eye disease and vision loss. But there are steps they can take today to help prevent significant vision loss in the future. In addition to getting a regular eye exam, Prevent Blindness encourages everyone to talk to their eyecare professional about family medical history as well as ask for recommendations about proper eye protection in order to keep eyes as healthy as possible for years to come

For more information on women’s eye health, including fact sheets on eye diseases, and eye protection, please visit Prevent Blindness NE Region at (312)-363-6037 or visit www.childrensvisionmassachusetts.org.

About Prevent Blindness Northeast Region and Children’s Vision Massachusetts

Prevent Blindness Northeast Region is part of Prevent Blindness, the nation’s leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, serving the states of Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont.  Focused on promoting a continuum of vision care, Prevent Blindness touches the lives of millions of people each year through public and professional education, advocacy, certified vision screenings, 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, Prevent Blindness is 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 preventblindness.org or facebook.com/preventblindness

Children’s Vision Massachusetts, supported by Prevent Blindness, is a seventy member coalition of families, professionals from multiple disciplines and affiliations, whose mission is to facilitate the development of a state-wide plan to improve the visual health of children in Massachusetts. To achieve this, the coalition is working to raise awareness and create systems to assure that every child has a vision screening, eye exam, and ongoing treatment if diagnosed with a vision condition.

To join our efforts use #kidsvision #eyehealth #visionandlearning #askaboutvision #cvma4vision #eyesoncapitolhill and spread the word about Children’s Vision Massachusetts. You can also follow us on FacebookTwitterInstagram and LinkedIn

###