Hormones and Eye Health: What Women Need to Know
Hormones and Eye Health: What Women Need to Know
It鈥檚 no secret that women experience quite a few hormonal changes throughout their adult lives. Often called the body鈥檚 鈥渕essengers,鈥 hormones move through the bloodstream, regulating hunger, sleep, reproduction, and mood. But did you know that major hormonal shifts, including pregnancy and menopause, can affect your eyes?
鈥淓strogen and progesterone, the two female sex hormones, can impact vision in a variety of ways,鈥 explains Nishika Reddy, MD, an ophthalmologist at John A. Moran Eye Center at the University of Utah. 鈥淔or the most part, there鈥檚 no cause for alarm, and it鈥檚 a normal side effect of an increase or decrease in either hormone.鈥
Hormones and vision changes
Pregnancy
Increased progesterone during pregnancy may cause temporary blurred vision. It often resolves when hormones level out. If vision doesn鈥檛 return to normal a couple months after pregnancy or suddenly becomes blurry, see your ophthalmologist to rule out a serious eye condition such as diabetes.
It鈥檚 also important to monitor vision changes in the second or third trimester, as sudden vision changes could be a symptom of preeclampsia. Other symptoms of preeclampsia include swollen hands and face and severe headaches.
Aging and Menopause
Changing levels of estrogen and progesterone can affect the eye鈥檚 oil glands, leading to dry eye鈥攐ne of the most common conditions experienced by women going through hormonal changes. When estrogen and progesterone levels decline with age, so does the lubrication produced by the eye鈥檚 oil glands. This can cause a scratchy feeling or light sensitivity, making it hard to read or drive at night. It can also cause blurry vision.
Dry eye can also increase the risk of eye infection from lack of tears. For some, dry eye is temporary and responds to moisturizing eye drops. For others, dry eye can progress to a more serious condition and should be diagnosed and treated by an ophthalmologist.
Estrogen can also cause subtle changes in the shape of the cornea, making it more elastic. This affects how light travels into the eye. Dryness and a change in refraction can cause blurry vision and make wearing contact lenses difficult.
A healthy diet supports good vision聽聽
鈥淭hroughout a woman鈥檚 life, a healthy diet can support overall eye health and vision,鈥 Reddy says. 鈥淔ocus on a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, with an emphasis on omega-3 oils found in fatty fish like fresh or canned tuna, trout, mackerel, and sardines. Plant-based sources include nuts, flax, chia seeds, and dark, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and arugula.鈥
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