April is Women’s Eye Health and Safety month.More women suffer from visual impairments than men. Women are more susceptible to eye health issues because they tend to live longer than men. Women are also affected by hormonal factors, according to the National Eye Institute. The NEI states that of the 3.6 million Americans age 40 and older who suffer from visual impairment, including blindness, 2.3 million are women. Some other risk factors for visual impairment in women are age, smoking, poor nutrition, obesity. How can women ensure that they have optimal eye health? Here are some tips:

• See An Eye Care Practitioner
Women should make regular eye exams a part of their health routine. Prevent Blindess America recommends everyone receive a comprehensive eye exam by age 40, if not earlier, and follow up care as recommended by an eye care practitioner. You can locate an eye care practitioner near you with CooperVision’s Find A Practitioner tool.
• Learn More About Dry Eye
According to the National Women’s Health Resource Center, dry eye affects an estimated 3.2 million American women and 1.6 million American men over age 50. Hispanic and Asian women are more likely to be affected by symptoms of dry eye syndrome. If you are a woman who suffers from dry eye, make sure to ask your eye care practitioner about CooperVision’s Proclear lenses . They are the only contacts with FDA clearance for the claim: "may provide improved comfort for contact lens wearers who experience mild discomfort or symptoms relating to dryness during lens wear."
• Eat For Eye Health
Women should eat a diet that is rich in vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, lutein, zeaxanthin, zinc and omega-3 fatty acids to prevent vision loss from eye disease. For more information on eye health, make sure to visit our Facebook Timeline and follow us @CooperVision on Twitter.