Low Estrogen and Your Vision

There is a lot of controversy about whether or not to take estrogen. You already know that women with low estrogen in or near menopause deal with hot flashes, poor sleep, lower libido, and other commonly associated symptoms of the menopause transition.

Now a new review article in the journal Menopause shows that low estrogen levels is a major contributor to poor vision in women as they age. Here’s a short summary and what it means to you.

These factors caused the investigators to do this study.

The optic nerve, the large nerve in the back of your eye that sends vision to your brain, shrinks with age – about 0.2 percent / year. Low estrogen contributes.

The pressure inside the eye – called the intraocular pressure – also increases with age. That leads to the condition glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness in the United States and the leading cause of blindness worldwide.

Giving estrogen to menopausal animals helps prevent glaucoma.

Women are much more likely than men to have glaucoma and cases of glaucoma are rising rapidly.

Women in menopause have higher intraocular pressure.

Menopause before age 45 increases the rate of glaucoma 2.6 times. Six percent of women enter menopause before age 45. That’s 9.42 million women in the US.

How does this affect you? Do you have any of the following:

Menopause before age 45

Cancer with treatment that blocks estrogen

Surgery to remove your ovaries before age 45

If you have any of the above situations or conditions, be sure and have your eyes checked at least annually. Have them checked for vision and intraocular pressure. It’s one of the things you need to consider with your physician when deciding whether or not to use estrogen.

Click here for my free 3 video series called Health Accelerator to get more tips on the tests you need each year, how to prepare for your annual exam, and 5 tips to jump start your health today.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Winn A.

12:46PM PDT on Sep 26, 2012

Thanks

September 26
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Beverly M.

2:14AM PDT on Sep 26, 2012

Great info, thanks!

Danuta W.

1:08AM PDT on Sep 26, 2012

Thanks for the article.

Abbe A.

8:41AM PDT on Sep 17, 2012

thanks

September 17
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Mache S.

9:11AM PDT on Sep 10, 2012

Hi Tricia,
Thanks for your question. It is a long story about estrogen causing cancer in women. But is a short summary, if a woman has not had her uterus removed, estrogen without progesterone can increase the risk of cancer of the uterus. But with progesterone for at least 10 days per month it seems safe with proof from many studies.

Women who had their uterus removed don't need progesterone.

For breast cancer, studies have shown that there is an increase of eight more breast cancer cases per 10,000 women who took estrogen plus a specific progesterone called medroxyprogesterone.

But a recent follow up article showed a 23% DECREASE in breast cancer in women who took estrogen only without the medroxyprogesterone.

Bottom line, talk with your doctor about you specifically. To help you, here is a link to my free eBook on how to take estrogen http://www.doctorseibel.com/free-menopause-ebook/.

Read more: http://www.care2.com/greenliving/low-estrogen-and-your-vision.html#ixzz265GWA7Ej

Mache Seibel, MD

September 10
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9:10AM PDT on Sep 10, 2012

Tricia H.

1:32PM PDT on Sep 8, 2012

Doesn't estogen also cause cancer in older women?

September 8
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Carolanne P.

3:26AM PDT on Sep 2, 2012

Yes, ive noticed that my eyes take much longer to adjust etc... I've been to my opticians expecting an increase in my contact lens prescription but have been told on two occasions that my eyes have not become more myopic. I guess they cant do anything about age & a shrinking optic nerve...

September 2
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Sheleen A.

11:22AM PDT on Sep 1, 2012

Gosh, what an "eye-opener". I honestly did not realise this and have had cancer and menopause early and now could not understand why my eyesight was deteriorating so fast. Thank you so much for this, I wont try oestrogen but definitely watch my diet as I have noticed it worsens if I have sweet things, so obviously sugar effects it.