Women and Eye Disease 2006 Presentation prepared

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Women and Eye Disease2006
Presentation prepared by
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Blindness and visual impairment

• World-wide, 2/3rds of all blind or visually
  impaired persons are women.
• 3/4ths of all blindness and visual impairment is
  either preventable or treatable.

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Evidence

• In 2001, a meta-analysis of over 70
  population-based studies reported that two-thirds
  of all blind and visually-impaired persons
  throughout the world, are women.

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Findings

• Age-adjusted odds ratio of blindness in women
  compared to men
• Africa 1.39 (1.2-1.6)
• Asia 1.41 (1.3-1.6)
• Industrialized 1.63 (1.3-2.1)
• Overall 1.43 (1.3-1.5)

Abou-Gareeb et al. Gender and blindness a
meta-analysis of population-based prevalence
surveys. Ophthal Epidem. 2001839-56.
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USA

• In the US
• Over 1 million legally blind people, including
  over 700,000 women
• Over 3.4 million Americans suffering from visual
  impairment, about 2.3 million are women

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Vision problems in US

• US Prevalence in 2000
• AMD with vision loss
• 1.8 million
• Glaucoma
• 2.2 million
• Diabetic Retinopathy
• 4.2 million
• Cataract
• 20.5 million

• US Census population
• Female 63,704,939
• Male 55,681,313
• Blindness
• Female 712,171
• Male 334,748
• Visual impairment
• Female 2,253,866
• Male 1,152,413

Number of Americans with age-related eye disease
and vision impairment will double in next 3
decades
www.usvisionproblems.org and www.nei.nih.gov
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Reasons for Gender Disparity

• Worldwide rates of blindness and visual
  impairment are higher in women in most age
  groups.
• In industrial countries there is longer life
  expectancy in women, and blindness and visual
  impairment increases with age.

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Gender Disparity - Worldwide

• Higher incidence of cataract and trichiasis in
  women
• Some eye diseases are intrinsically more
  prevalent in women
• In some countries, women do not have equal access
  to eye care information and services

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Gender Disparity - Industrialized Countries

• Vision-altering and sight-threatening eye
  diseases more common in women
• dry-eye syndrome
• rheumatoid diseases
• certain forms of cataract
• age-related conditions
• 1. macular degeneration
• 2. cataract

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Prevention
Age-related chronic diseases, such as CVD and
cancer,and age-related causes of blindness, such
as cataract and AMD, share a number of modifiable
risk factors smoking diabetes physical
inactivity obesity hypertension hormones
poor nutrition
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Poor Vision is Bad for you Visual impairment
significantly reduces 1. The quality and length
of life 2. Independent living 3. Healthy
aging Consequences of Visual Impairment Increase
d social isolation Increased morbidity Poor
vision is much more common than realized Half of
vision impairment is correctable and one quarter
is preventable
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WEHTF Activities

• Public education outreach through print and radio
  media
• Materials development for Lions Eye Health
  Program (LEHP) program and for doctors offices
• Partnerships with The Harvard Medical COE in
  Womens Health, other womens health
  organizations and organizations that advocate
  for eye health
• Symposia at national and other meetings such as
  the international symposium on Nov 7th, 2003
  Improving Womens Eye Health Strategies to
  address the greater burden of blindness among
  women

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Information on Womens Eye Health www.womenseyehe
alth.org