Every June we celebrate men’s health month. The health of our eyes is often overlooked, especially if nothing feels wrong. But, our eye health can often be an indicator of our overall health. For instance, did you know that health conditions like diabetes and hypertension (high blood pressure) can affect your vision?
While it’s true that women tend to be at higher risk for some eye-related health issues, men are not immune.
What vision problems commonly affect men?
All vision problems can affect men. Some of the most common eye conditions to affect men include:
- Color blindness
- Diabetic retinopathy
- Hypertension retinopathy
- Age-related macular degeneration
- Flashes and floaters
- Glaucoma
- Refractive errors
- Cataracts
What increases the risk of developing vision problems?
- Age
- Health conditions, like diabetes or hypertension
- Certain medications
- Eye injury or trauma
- Hormone fluctuations
- Overuse and/or strain
How can men protect their vision?
Don’t skip regular routine eye exams. Annual comprehensive eye exams make it more likely that serious eye conditions are identified and diagnosed early on. With early diagnosis, comes early treatment…and better outcomes in vision protection.