CHICAGO—In an effort to education women about sight preservation, Prevent Blindness America (PBA) has again designated April has Women’s Eye Health and Safety Month. According to PBA, women are more susceptible than men to vision impairment, comprising 2.6 of the 4.1 million Americans age 40 and older who are visually impaired or blind.

In a recent study conducted by PBA, Vision Problems in the U.S., data showed that more women than men experience age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy, which are the four most prevalent eye diseases in the U.S. Reasons for the gender discrepancy, according to the National Eye Institute, include longevity and hormonal factors.

“The first thing every woman should do, especially those ages 40 and older, is get a dilated eye exam," said Hugh R. Parry, PBA president and CEO. "Through early detection and treatment, vision loss can be lessened.”

In addition to having eyes examined, PBA recommends that women eat healthy, quit smoking, take supplements approved by a medical professional and protect eyes from the sun with UV-blocking sunglasses and headwear, as well as educate themselves on any possible family history of eye disease.

More information on women’s eye health, including fact sheets on eye diseases, pregnancy and vision and the safe use of cosmetics, is available at www.preventblindness.org.