It may surprise you how different vision and eye health can be between the sexes. For example, men have a higher risk of suffering serious eye injuries, while women are generally more susceptible to various eye diseases.

Women face a greater risk of certain eye conditions, such as glaucoma, which encompasses a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve, leading to irreversible vision loss, and age-related macular degeneration, which gradually erodes central vision. This increased vulnerability in women is largely attributed to longer life expectancies; the more years we live, the more likely we are to face these vision problems. Early detection is the most effective defense against these potentially devastating conditions. In addition, women are more prone to chronic dry eye and diffuse refractive errors, which are usually managed with glasses or contact lenses.

Men, on the other hand, are not immune to hormone-related vision changes, although they do not experience hormonal changes as frequently or dramatically as women. During puberty, it is common for boys to develop temporary myopia as their eyes grow with their bodies. Not all cases correct naturally, but fortunately this type of myopia can usually be corrected with glasses. Men are statistically more prone to eye injuries because they are more likely to engage in high-risk occupations and sports. There is also a tendency among men to neglect wearing protective equipment and to minimize or ignore injuries when they occur.

October 2024