4 Ways Men Can Keep Their Eyes Healthy | Men's Health Month

When it comes to their vision, men have some advantages and some disadvantages over women. For instance, according to the National Eye Institute, men are at less risk of developing visual impairment and blindness than women. Women also develop age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma in greater numbers than men. ​But men don’t have all the advantages when it comes to eyesight. For example, men are much more likely to have problems distinguishing colors than women.

Although men may not have control over all risk factors for developing vision problems, there are several things they can do to keep their eyes healthy. Here are four suggestions for keeping men’s eyes safe and healthy:
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Recommendation 1: Wear Appropriate Safety Glasses at Work & Play

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), men sustain eye injuries more often than women. Research found men sustain injuries to their eyes about three times as often as women.
 
Men may be at an increased risk of eye injuries for a few reasons. Men typically perform labor-intensive work, such as construction and welding, at higher rates than women. Men also participate in sports that are considered high risk for eye injuries, such as wrestling, more often than women. Surveys have also indicated that men tend to forego protective eyewear more often than women when they participate in similar activities.
 
According to the AAO, 78 percent of people that sustained an eye injury were not wearing protective eyewear or gear. Eye injuries can include corneal scratches, foreign objects in the eyes, and chemical burns.
 
Good news! Wearing appropriate protective eyewear can prevent most eye injuries. In addition to wearing protective eyewear on the job and when participating in sports, wearing eye shields or safety glasses is just as important when doing yard work and home improvement projects.
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Recommendation 2: Get Regular Eye Exams

If you’re a man who avoids going to the doctor, you’re not alone. According to surveys by several health organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, men are less likely to seek medical care than women. In a 2014 survey, men were only about half as likely to go to the doctor in a two-year period as women.
 
Guys forgo regular exams for a variety of reasons. Some men reported they were too busy to go to their doctor. Others were afraid they might get bad news. Regardless of the reason, it is essential for men to go for their regular eye exams. Several eye diseases, such as cataracts and glaucoma, do not cause symptoms at first, but eye doctors can detect abnormalities and eye diseases before symptoms and vision changes ever begin through a comprehensive eye exam.
 
The AAO recommends all adults have a baseline eye exam by the age of 40. Men that have risk factors for eye disease, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, may be advised to see their eye doctor earlier or more often.
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Recommendation 3: Live a Healthy Lifestyle

Exercising and eating well are good not only for men’s overall health, but also their eye health. Getting regular exercise and eating a healthy and well-balanced diet support our cardiovascular systems and reduce the risk of heart disease and diabetes, which can greatly impact the eyes.
 
Quitting or avoiding smoking is also important. Although the gap is not as wide as it once was, men still have higher rates of smoking than women. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in a 2015 survey, almost 17 percent of men and 13 percent of women smoked cigarettes. It appears that smoking increases the risk of developing certain eye diseases, including age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma.
 
If you need help developing an appropriate exercise regimen, changing your diet, or quitting smoking, visit your primary care physician to develop a plan that will work and be safe for you.

Recommendation 4: Be Aware of Medication Side Effects

Certain medications that men may take can have an effect on the eyes. For instance, some medications to treat erectile dysfunction (ED) may have side effects that affect vision. A classification of drugs called phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors work by increasing the blood flow to the genitals, but the drugs may have some common visual side effects, including:

• Reduced color vision
• Difficulty distinguishing between blue and green
• Light sensitivity

• Blurry vision

 
Side effects are usually only temporary and are not thought to have a permanent effect on vision. If symptoms persist, see your eye doctor as soon as possible.
 
Although the side effects listed above do not cause permanent vision problems, taking ED medication may put some men at a higher risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). NAION occurs when blood flow to the optic nerve is obstructed, which causes sudden loss of vision in one eye.
 
Having high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart disease increase a man’s risk of NAION. Some men have also developed NAION shortly after taking ED medication. According to the AAO, no direct cause between ED medication and NAION has been definitively established, but there seems to be a link. If you have risk factors for NAION and are considering ED medication, take to your doctor about potential vision problems.
 
Following the tips above can help protect your vision and decrease your chances of eye injuries and diseases. If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment with one of our eye doctors, please call our office at 508-746-8600.
 
We hope you found this information helpful. Please check back soon as we cover “What a Man’s Eyes Reveal About Other Health Conditions” for Men’s Health Month.