The eyes have it

~3 vision-related complications to keep an eye on.

Serious vision problems related to aging, such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration, don't begin until later in life for most women. But women in their 30s and up should still watch out for these issues, say local optometrists.

HORMONAL CHANGES

Dr. Alan Branson of Eye Care For You in Cape Girardeau says changes in hormones during pregnancy, breastfeeding and menopause cause many women to have inconsistent vision and trouble focusing. These inconsistencies can sometimes last for hours and then return to normal over the course of a day, Branson says. Especially during menopause, Branson says, a lack of hormones will throw off systems of the body in many ways. Most of the time, the changes are temporary. "Once you get through it, your vision will be much more consistent," he says.

BLOOD PRESSURE AND CHOLESTEROL

Mary McBride, office manager at Regional Eyecare Center in Cape Girardeau, says requesting a retinal scan, such as an Optomap scan, in addition to a regular eye exam, can help eye doctors see a lot about the overall health of a patient. "The health of the eye reflects the health of the body," says McBride. A retinal scan may indicate high cholesterol, high blood pressure and high blood sugar. "Those things, if caught early, are so much easier to treat," she says.

Regional Eyecare Center doctors have referred patients with no family history or other indicators of diabetes to get checked out based on the results of retinal scans, and in some cases patients had early signs of the disease.

DIET

Dr. Rachel Shewmake of Marion Eye Centers & Optical in Cape Girardeau says women over 30 should have routine yearly eye exams and eat a healthy diet including foods such as leafy greens, which contain lutein and zinc, to maintain healthy eyes. Lutein, says Shewmake, helps metabolism of the retina for fair-skinned people who are more at risk for macular degeneration.

Limiting caffeine and alcohol can also benefit dry eye, which affects many women, says Dr. Laura Evans of Leet EyeCare in Cape Girardeau. The condition is also tied in with hormones. Excessive tears are a common symptom of dry eye, and one that patients don't often realize is related, says Evans. "People think, 'I don't have dry eyes, my eyes are tearing,'" says Evans. Dry eye is a deficiency in the mucus layer on the eye, and causes tears to run out. "If you get a burning sensation, or a sandy, gritty, sensitive feeling, then you likely have dry eye," she says.

READ ABOUT OTHER EYE CARE TIPS IN THE FEBRUARY ISSUE OF FLOURISH.