Why are there gender inequalities in visual impairment?

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Visual impairment and blindness disproportionately affect women in high-income countries.
• The underlying mechanisms for these gender disparities in vision health remain unclear.
• This study investigates gender-based inequalities in visual impairment prevalence and associated eye diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze gender inequalities in the prevalence of blindness and visual impairment.
• To examine differences in age of onset, diagnosed/undiagnosed eye diseases, and related conditions between genders.
• To identify potential contributing factors to observed gender disparities in vision health.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the 2008 Spanish Survey on Disability, Personal Autonomy and Dependency Situations (n=213,626).
• Calculated prevalence of blindness, visual impairment, age of onset, and diagnosed/undiagnosed eye diseases.
• Employed hierarchical multiple logistic regression models to assess gender differences, controlling for age and education.

Main Results:

• Women had a higher likelihood of reporting visual impairment (OR=1.6) and diagnosed cataracts (OR=1.4).
• Men were more prone to undiagnosed eye disease (OR=0.7) and diagnosed glaucoma (aOR=0.8).
• These gender-specific associations were independent of age and educational level.

Conclusions:

• Significant gender inequalities exist in visual impairment, with women more affected by cataracts and men by undiagnosed conditions like glaucoma.
• Disparities may stem from unequal healthcare access for women and potentially different healthcare-seeking behaviors influenced by gender socialization in men.
• Addressing these gender-based differences is crucial for equitable vision care and reducing the burden of visual impairment.