Dry Eye and Menopausal Women.

Q. I’m in my early 50′s and going through menopause. Recently, I have noticed my eyes always seem to be dry. Is there a connection?

A. Dry eye can be particularly prevalent among menopausal women, with over 3.2 million women over the age of 50 affected with chronic dry eye. A recent survey conducted by the Society for Women’s Health Research revealed, of the 62% of menopausal women experiencing dry eye, 84% were unaware that these symptoms were linked to menopause.

Dry eye is one of the most common complaints brought to eye doctors, accounting for nearly a quarter of all office visits. In fact, about 40 percent of Americans suffer from dry eye symptoms that may include itching, irritation, light sensitivity, blurred vision, dryness, foreign body sensation and even overproduction of tears. Those suffering from dry eye may have trouble with reading, working, driving at night and using a computer.

Dry eye is a serious condition that can lead to increased risk of infection and impaired vision if left untreated.

America‘s 100 Dry Eye Hot Spots

The National Women’s Health Resource Center recently announced ‘America’s 100 Dry Eye Hot Spots’- the first rankings* based on environmental factors that contribute to a serious eye condition that plagues over 20 million Americans, particularly menopausal women.

The Dry Hot Spots are those cities with environmental conditions most likely to aggravate. Las Vegas tops the list, followed by four Texas cities. Other large metropolitan cities on the list include New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Chicago, Atlanta, Philadelphia and Miami.

For a complete list of the cities, visit www.healthywomen.org

*The rankings are based on an analysis of data archived by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climatic Data Center and the Environmental Protection Agency that considered factors including temperature, humidity, wind, altitude, pollutants and ocular allergens.