Men more likely to present with sight problems

Male patients are 16% more likely to present with advanced vision loss at eye clinics compared to women, according to researchers at City, University of London.

A study published in the journal of Ophthalmic and Physiological Optics showed men were more likely to ignore symptoms and not seek early medical attention.

Professor David Crabb, professor of statistics and vision research at City, University of London and lead author of the study, said: ‘There’s a lot of research evidence to suggest that men are more likely to put off visits to doctors and healthcare professionals. It’s likely true for visiting an optometrist too. Our results add to this evidence because it suggests men are more likely to present at clinics with advanced visual field loss when they get a diagnosis of glaucoma.’