I used to be fascinated to be taught a couple of years in the past that AI may reliably decide the intercourse of a person when analyzing a fundus {photograph}.
The important thing distinction between the sexes was the dimensions and distribution of the retinal veins and arteries. So, the anatomy of ladies’s and males’s eyes aren’t similar, with girls having a barely smaller and fewer vascular eye.
Ladies have the next threat than males for blindness throughout their lifetime. One key cause is that girls stay longer, making them extra prone to age-related eye ailments. Different key elements embrace the distinction in hormones, the truth that being pregnant carries some ocular threat and a special genetic standing that offers girls the next threat for a lot of sight-threatening ailments. I’ll share a couple of ideas on every of those.
Ladies are extra prone to all of the widespread age-related eye ailments together with cataract, glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration. A lot of that is associated to longer life expectancy. For the cataract surgeon, a girl’s eye tends to be barely smaller, however most of us strategy the female and male eye at cataract surgical procedure with the identical strategy. I’ve not seen information that recommend there’s a larger charge of capsular tear or vitreous loss in girls vs. males, however extra girls have dry eye illness and diabetes, which places them in danger for the related issues. IOL energy calculations are additionally considerably much less correct in smaller eyes, placing girls in danger for IOL energy choice errors. Concerning glaucoma, there’s proof that low estrogen ranges are a threat issue for glaucoma injury, and estrogen substitute remedy could also be protecting. Two-thirds of AMD instances are in girls, and that is seemingly age associated, though the distinction in vasculature could play a job.
A distinction in hormones will increase a girl’s threat for dry eye illness, particularly after menopause, as androgen protects in opposition to dry eye. The elevated threat for diabetes in girls is hormonal and age associated. There are additionally sight-threatening issues related to some pregnancies, particularly within the affected person with preeclampsia and hypertension. Vitamin and dietary deficiency also can happen in being pregnant with related unwanted effects.
Ladies are extra prone to autoimmune ailments together with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid eye illness and particularly Sjögren’s syndrome. A lady with dry eye, dry mouth, and fatigue or arthritis signs deserves an analysis for Sjögren’s syndrome, which is underdiagnosed. Three of 4 folks with migraine are girls.
In rising nations, extra girls than males have uncorrected refractive error and poor remedy of their eye illness. Trachoma can be 3 times extra frequent in girls.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends that each one girls endure a complete eye examination at age 40 years after which at applicable intervals. Each girl ought to know their ocular household historical past and share it with their eye care skilled. A nutritious diet, vitamin supplementation and no smoking are useful. Many advocate a hat and sun shades to scale back solar publicity.
Ladies’s and males’s eyes aren’t similar, and girls extra often have many eye ailments, together with an 8% larger likelihood of being blind at demise. The intercourse of the affected person we’re treating is a vital consider delivering high quality eye care.
For extra data:
Richard L. Lindstrom, MD, will be reached at rllindstrom@mneye.com.
Sources/Disclosures
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Disclosures:
Lindstrom stories having monetary disclosures for Minnesota Eye Consultants and Unifeye Imaginative and prescient Companions.
