Women are more likely to experience neurological problems, such as
migraines and multiple sclerosis, with eye problems and complications. When women come to see us
for eye exams complaining of headaches or sudden visual problems we have to be
more aware that there are certain neurological conditions that target women.
These can include:
Multiple Sclerosis
Multiple
Sclerosis is a neurological disorder that affects woman more than men and often
first becomes noticeable with eye problems such as optic neuritis with
decreased vision and pain when moving your eyes as well as possibly double
vision.
Migraines
Although
migraines can occur at any point, after puberty, women are more likely to
suffer from these vision-affecting headaches by a factor of two. Many patients
with migraines come in for an eye exam complaining of visual phenomena or aura,
which can range from zigzag lines or aura to fragmented vision or complete
visual loss. These types of symptoms are associated with “classic migraines.”
Thyroid Eye
Disease
Thyroid
eye disease, also known as Graves ’ disease, affects women in their 50s and 60s
and may be associated with thyroid problems and brings patients in complaining
of dry eye symptoms such as irritation and redness. In more advanced cases
Graves’s patients could have bulging eyes and double vision as well due to poor
eye muscle movement.
The Eye Care & Surgery Center is located at 592 Springfield
Avenue, Westfield, New Jersey 07090, 10 Mountain Boulevard, Warren, New Jersey
07059 and 517 Route One South, Suite 1100, Iselin, New Jersey 08830, and is conveniently located for patients from throughout
central and northern New Jersey.
