Nourish And Navigate Your Vision Through Life's Natural Cycles

An holistic & ocular pathology perspective to honour your vision for life

“There is a huge array of symptoms linked to menopause, but few women make a connection between their fluctuating hormones and their eye health. In fact, research, conducted by Eye Health UK in collaboration with Thomas Pocklington Trust, found 86 percent of women were unaware there was a connection between the two, despite ‘the Change’ being said to trigger conditions such as Dry Eye syndrome, Glaucoma and Cataracts.”

Over the last couple of years, l have noticed a significant change in my vision and wanted to know and explore why? l wanted to write this piece to share the insights gleaned from my exploration, experimentation, and experiences in my eye health journey and working with patients. 

How we see visually affects how we see ourselves and the world, influencing mood and behaviours. Difficulty in seeing straight, struggling with visual acuity, distinguishing shapes or colours, and experiencing light sensitivity can all diminish the quality of life. So why aren't UK Optometrists recommending eye supplements and natural tips as part of the patient journey for Dry Eyes, Macular Degeneration, Cataracts, and Glaucoma? More importantly, advising female patients of potential markers pre and post-menopause. 

From my own struggle with blurry vision even though my prescription was correct and my OCT scan was clear. I wanted to delve a little deeper into the possible culprits. I uncovered that hormonal fluctuations can play a significant role, particularly in blurred vision, macular degeneration, dry eyes, and glaucoma when transitioning through menopause. Changing Estrogen levels negatively impact oil glands in the eyes as well as the elasticity of the cornea, both of which can affect how light travels into the eye, leading to blurry vision, light sensitivity, burning sensations, and dry eyes. 

---

According to the Society for Women's Health Research, almost two-thirds (61%) of menopausal women suffer from dry eyes. Changing hormone levels can affect all three layers of the tear film, reducing the quantity and quality of your tears and increasing the risk of evaporation. It is often associated with drier eyes and irritation. Symptoms commonly experienced by sufferers of HDE (Hormonal Dry Eye) include dryness, burning, a gritty sensation that worsens throughout the day, blurred vision, tearing, and more sensitivity to light.  

More recently, there is research being done on the possible link between Menopause and Glaucoma a potentially worrying consideration. Glaucoma is a leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide and is characterised by progressive loss of visual function and retinal ganglion cells (RGC). Current epidemiological, clinical, and basic science evidence suggest that estrogen plays a role in the aging of the optic nerve.

Access information here  https://rdcu.be/dDOYl

---