Disparities in Women’s Eye Health around the World

Ruth D. Williams, MDLynn K. Gordon, MD, PhD

Manal Bouhaimed, MBchB, PhD

I HAVE NO FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES RELATED TO THIS TOPIC

Ruth D. Williams, MD

Women, Blindness and Eye Health

A personal awakening

Eye Health Disparities

• 50 million blind world wide• 2/3rds are women• 80% of blind and visually impaired people live

in developing countries• In poor countries, women of all ages utilize

health care services less than men

Blindness is a global health and economic issue.

But, did you know?

• Of the 3.4 million Americans who are visually impaired, 2.3 million are women? NEI data

WOMEN MAKE THE PRIMARY HEALTH CARE DECISIONS IN TWO-THIRDS OF AMERICAN HOUSEHOLDS. THEY ACCOUNT FOR 80 CENTS OUT OF EVERY DOLLAR SPENT IN DRUGSTORES AND ARE LIKELIER THAN MEN

TO CHOOSE THE FAMILY'S HEALTH INSURANCE. “WOMEN ARE THE MAIN BROKERS OF HEALTH CARE IN THE UNITED STATES,” SAYS DR. WILLIAM NORCROSS, A FAMILY PHYSICIAN AND FACULTY MEMBER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO, SCHOOL OF MEDICINE. ”

The Healers: Lady Madonna, by Jeffrey Kluger, Time Magazine, April 15, 2010

Manal Bouhaimed MBchB, PhD

Kuwait University Faculty of MedicineKuwait Health Initiative Board Member

Vision 2020 Kuwait

Lynn K. Gordon, MD, PhDProfessor of Ophthalmology

Associate Dean, Diversity AffairsChair, Applied Anatomy College

David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA