SAN FRANCISCO, April 24, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Studies show there is a gender gap in eye disease. Women are more likely than men to suffer from sight-threatening conditions such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD), cataracts, and glaucoma.¹ In support of Healthy Vision Month in May, the American Academy of Ophthalmology reminds women to make vision a top priority.

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Women make up 65 percent of AMD cases; 61 percent of glaucoma and cataract patients are women, and 66 percent of blind patients are women.² Why the inequity? There are a few theories. On average women live longer and many eye problems are age-related. Some eye conditions, such as dry eye, are more common in women, young and old. Social and economic factors affect women’s access to eye care, especially in developing countries.

Whatever the cause, there are a few unique vision problems women need to watch out for more than men. Dry eye occurs at double the rate in postmenopausal women.³ In general, women are more susceptible to autoimmune diseases than men, many of which affect vision, such as lupus, Sjögren’s syndrome and hyperthyroiditis. Also, pregnancy can cause vision changes due to the hormones pregnant women experience.

Good news is most vision loss is preventable. The Academy offers five simple steps to take control of your eye health today:

• Get a comprehensive medical eye exam at age 40. Early signs of disease or changes in vision may begin at this age. An exam by an ophthalmologist – a physician who specializes in medical and surgical eye care – is an opportunity to carefully examine the eye for diseases and conditions that may have no symptoms in the early stages.
• Know your family history. Certain eye diseases can be inherited. If you have a close relative with macular degeneration, you have a 50 percent chance of developing this condition. A family history of glaucoma increases your glaucoma risk by four to nine times. Talk to family members about their eye conditions. It can help you and your ophthalmologist evaluate your risk.
• Eat healthy foods. A diet low in fat and rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, benefits the entire body, including the eyes. Eye-healthy food choices include citrus fruits, vegetable oils, nuts, whole grains, dark green leafy vegetables and cold water fish.
• Stop smoking. Smoking increases the risk for eye diseases such as cataract and age-related macular degeneration. Smoking also raises the risk for cardiovascular diseases which can indirectly influence your eye health. Tobacco smoke, including second-hand smoke, also worsens dry eye.
• Wear sunglasses. Exposure to ultraviolet UV light raises the risk of eye diseases, including cataract, fleshy growths on the eye and cancer. Always wear sunglasses with 100 percent UV protection and a hat while enjoying time outdoors.

“Eye exams aren’t only about checking a person’s visual acuity or sharpness, but also determining the overall health of their eyes,” said Rebecca J. Taylor, M.D., clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. “We encourage women as well as men to get regular eye care. By making vision a priority today, we can help protect our sight as we age.”

To learn more ways to keep your eyes healthy, visit the American Academy of Ophthalmology’s EyeSmart^® website.

About the American Academy of Ophthalmology  
The American Academy of Ophthalmology is the world’s largest association of eye physicians and surgeons. A global community of 32,000 medical doctors, we protect sight and empower lives by setting the standards for ophthalmic education and advocating for our patients and the public. We innovate to advance our profession and to ensure the delivery of the highest-quality eye care. Our EyeSmart^® program provides the public with the most trusted information about eye health. For more information, visit aao.org.

1. National Eye Institute 
2. National Eye Institute 
3. Am J Ophthalmol. 2003 Aug;136(2):318-26.

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WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., April 21, 2017 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — From Portland, Maine to Las Vegas, Nevada, nearly a dozen Newborn Intensive Care Units (NICUs) that care for sick and premature babies will hold reunions of their graduates at this year’s March of Dimes Foundation’s signature fundraising event, March for Babies.

Several HCA hospitals, The University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital (UAB) and many others are great examples of how hospitals can work together with the March of Dimes to provide care and support for families during their baby’s time in the NICU, according to Japonica Boler, a March of Dimes volunteer whose son was born premature at UAB. This year marks the 3^rd annual NICU Reunion at the March for Babies event in Birmingham, which takes place on Saturday, April 29.

“My son Cayden was born prematurely at 26 weeks, and spent months in the NICU at UAB, unable to eat or breathe on his own,” Mrs. Boler recalls. “Today, Cayden is 3 years old and doing much better. We love to come to the NICU reunion and participate in March for Babies each year. We get to give back to an amazing organization and see all of the wonderful staff that took great care of our son. We can’t wait to walk!”

“For many years, HCA and our hospitals in communities across the country have supported the March of Dimes to improve the health of babies and moms, including working together to help ensure moms deliver after 39 weeks,” said Bruce Moore, HCA’s president – service line and operations integration. “Last year, caregivers in our 89 NICUs provided vital medical care to approximately 33,000 babies, and during these difficult times lifelong bonds often are developed. Our NICU Reunions are a wonderful way for our caregivers, our NICU graduates and their families to celebrate some of our success stories.”

Other NICU reunions will take place at March for Babies walks: April 22 in Fort Worth, Texas with HCA’s Medical City Arlington; April 29 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin with Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and in Jenson Beach, Florida with HCA’s Lawnwood Regional Medical Center; April 30 in Portland, Maine with The Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center; May 6 in St. Cloud, Minnesota with St. Cloud Hospital and in Lafayette, Louisiana with HCA’s Women’s and Children’s Hospital; May 7, in Danville, Pennsylvania with Geisinger’s Janet Weis Children’s Hospital; May 13 in Las Vegas, Nevada with Dignity Health-St. Rose Dominican; and June 3 in Lebanon, New Hampshire at Children’s Hospital at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. 

Nearly 500 March for Babies events will take place all across the United States, with most occurring this spring. Thousands of individuals and hundreds of companies across the country get involved. National sponsors include Kmart, Famous Footwear, Macy’s, Cigna, and HCA, as well as regional sponsor Publix. For more information and to register, visit marchforbabies.org.

Premature birth (before 37 weeks of pregnancy) is the leading cause of death of babies in the U.S. About 15 million babies worldwide are born prematurely each year, and premature birth and its consequences are the leading cause of death in children under age five. Babies who survive an early birth often face serious and lifelong health problems, including chronic lung disease, vision and hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, and neurodevelopmental disabilities.

The March of Dimes NICU Family Support^® program offers information and comfort to families during the NICU hospitalization of their newborn, during the transition home, and in the event of a newborn death. It also provides professional education for NICU staff, and promotes neonatal family-centered care in NICUs.  NICU Family Support is currently in more than 100 hospitals across the country and touches more than 70,000 families each year.

HCA’s collaboration with the March of Dimes and support of March for Babies will nearly double the presence of the Foundation’s NICU Family Support program in hospitals across the country this year. 

“It just makes sense to hold our NICU reunions at March for Babies because these families have been helped by both the March of Dimes and UAB Hospital,” says Elicia Jacob, DPN, RN, PHCNS-BC, director of nursing services at UAB’s Women & Infants Center. “Families come from all across the region because of the support they received from the March of Dimes and the caregivers at our hospital. We’re like one big family.”

About March of Dimes
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. For more than 75 years, moms and babies have benefited from March of Dimes research, education, vaccines, and breakthroughs. For the latest resources and health information, visit our websites marchofdimes.org and nacersano.org.  If you have been affected by prematurity or birth defects, visit our shareyourstory.org community to find comfort and support.  You can also find us on Facebook or follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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