The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) convened an interdisciplinary group of researchers, clinicians, and other relevant stakeholders for a closed roundtable meeting on women’s vision health. The purpose was to identify the unmet needs and knowledge gaps in research, treatment, and disease awareness and identification.
Evidence shows the majority of ocular diseases affect women disproportionately compared to men. In the United States, the majority of the 4.4 million Americans age 40 and older who are visually impaired or blind are female. More women are at risk for eye diseases such as cataracts, glaucoma, and macular degeneration. Thyroid eye disease, an autoimmune condition, is almost five times more common in women than in men. More than 3 million women have dry eye, which is more common after menopause.
Despite these alarming statistics, the root causes of ocular diseases risk are not well understood and a focused research agenda is greatly needed to develop and implement comprehensive diagnostic, preventive, and treatment strategies to address disparities in women’s eye health.
