Senior Spectrum
Newspaper
Sept 2008
Our Other Publications
Generation Boomer
Magazine
on-line
Golden Pages
Directory
Vision - Ophthalmology
Ophthalmology Eye Disease Threatens Middle Agers
People often regard vision-threatening disease as part of the aging process, but the fact is that eye disease may very well occur before many know it.
According to a recent study from the Prevent Blindness America and the National Eye Institute, more than 3.6 million Americans aged 40 years and older suffer from visual impairment, including blindness. Twice as many women (2.3 million) as men are diagnosed with visionthreatening eye disease annually.
These statistics should serve as a wakeup call for middle-agers who may have come to take their eye health for granted. It is never too early to begin caring for your eyes, and women are encouraged to take the lead for themselves and their families.
Note - Approximately 6 million women (and 3 million men) have dry-eye syndrome, of whom postmenopausal and pregnant women are most at risk due to hormonal fluctuations. Without proper lubrication, their corneas may become damaged.