20/20 Foresight: Understanding Women’s Eye Health and Supporting Patient Needs

Vision impairment is one of the most common causes of disability in the United States. More than 12 million Americans aged 40 and older are visually impaired or blind. Women are affected disproportionately more than men and certain eye conditions can present in women differently across the lifespan. Some diseases become increasingly common or burdensome with age, such as age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma. Up to two-thirds of Americans with these conditions are women. Other conditions that are also more prevalent in women, such as diabetic retinopathy and thyroid eye disease, tend to occur as complications of an associated chronic disease.

While biology is a major influence in eye health, disparities are worsened as a result of gender-influenced social determinants, gaps in research and clinical education, and insufficient policy solutions to eliminate barriers to access treatments and quality care.

SWHR hosted a virtual public forum to discuss women’s eye health and highlight common eye diseases that affect women, experiences of women living with eye disease, and how to navigate access and management of care.