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The Women's Health Initiative
- Sight Examination Study - The goal of the Women's Health Initiative-Sight Exam Study is to determine if hormone replacement therapy can prevent blindness caused by macular degeneration. Scientists
estimate that up to 20 percent of persons 65-75 years old have some sort of macular degeneration, and women are more likely to be affected than men. At present there is no effective treatment for this leading
cause of blindness in the U.S., but estrogen may play a role, particularly among women, whose estrogen levels decline after menopause. WHI-SE is part of the Women's Health Initiative, one of the largest preventive
studies of its kind. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) established the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) in 1991 to address the most common causes of death, disability and impaired quality of life in postmenopausal
women, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis. Only women who are already enrolled in the WHI are eligible to participate in WHI-SE. Women in the study will receive Premarin or Prempro,
forms of estrogen, or a placebo sugar pill. Additionally, women will be asked to:
- Undergo a vision exam when enrolling in WHI-SE and again in 3-4 years to check visual acuity and to photograph the retinas (requires dilation)
- Complete two questionnaires on vision, history of eye disease and medication use
- Complete brief questionnaires on vision each year between the two eye exams
- Have blood collected for studies on the effect of diet and cardiovascular disease on macular degeneration
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