Gender and Eye Care

It has been discovered in recent years that among the instances of blindness worldwide, women suffer more than men. Out of 50 million people all across the world that are dealing with blindness, nearly two thirds of that are women of all ages. Here is some information that researchers have discovered in relation to gender and eye care, so that you can take the steps towards proper prevention.

Further studies have been conducted in order to show which regions have the highest amount of women with vision trouble, and have proven that these regions are mostly poor regions. This is where there is not a lot of money or technology available for the medical field. Most of the blindness that occurs across the world is due to the development of cataracts. Of course with the right medication and surgery, this can easily be cured and taken care of.

 

Even if this medical treatment were available for women living in third world, poorer countries it would be difficult for them to get out of the house to get the right treatment. The roles of women in various countries are all different, and not always as equal as the United States. The husbands in these countries will typically be away for days at a time, while the women tend to numerous children and manage households. They may not place as much priority on their own health, because they are more concerned with the health of their family members.

 

Even surgical options are more comfortable and affordable now. Some people opt for Lasik to correct myopia, hyperopia or astigmatism, Lasik is a type of refractive surgery for correcting these conditions, and it's very popular. It involves very little pain, because work is done with technologically advanced lasers that re-shape the cornea of the eye. There is also a relatively quick recovery time. Many people opt for Lasik instead of wearing glasses or contacts, and it’s a commonly performed procedure in just about any ophthalmologist’s office.

 

In medical fields in Africa where women and men work together in order to reduce the amount of cataract problems, the women are not nearly as well trained or as educated as males. This is a clear example of how, while the workplace looks equal, but there are still some shades of grey. Males dominate the staff of directors and female surgeons may work only on other female patients. However, the blindness rates in Africa are declining and it seems that the current methods are more effective than they were even ten years ago.

 

Even in developed countries, there can still be a gender imbalance in eye care. Some women may resist the idea of glasses, and some women tend to resist mentioning medical issues, such as difficulty seeing. While with each generation this becomes less of an issue, old habits die hard.

 

Right now, it is imperative that we start paying attention to blindness and how we can easily prevent it. Make sure that you take the time to get regular checkups with the optometrist. A comprehensive eye exam is needed at least once per year in order to see if your eyes are changing or degenerating in any way. The more that we learn about our eyes, the easier it is going to be to take the proper steps towards care. Gender and eye care still varies from country to country, and while women still suffer the most, in the future we should see some great developments. Keep an eye out for any new developments within optometry news. If you stay informed, you will have better chances of having full vision for life.