Global Data Show Women Face Significantly Higher Burden of Vision Loss

A new large-scale analysis of the 2021 Global Burden of Disease study data confirms that women continue to experience significantly higher rates of blindness and vision loss than their male counterparts. The findings, recently published in American Journal of Ophthalmology, shows this disparity is most pronounced in older age groups and lower-resource regions. A global analysis spanning three decades and more than 200 countries highlights persistent sex disparities in blindness and vision loss, with women experiencing significantly higher prevalence and disability worldwide. Globally, rates of disability from vision impairment show considerable variance by region. The data above from the study shows the average years lived with disability due to various eye and vision disorders by region. Photo: Xia L, et al. Am J Ophthalmol. December 15, 2025. Click image to enlarge. The retrospective cohort analysis evaluated sex-specific data from 204 countries and territories between 1990 and 2021. Investigators quantified prevalence and years lived with disability (YLDs) related to blindness and vision loss, stratified by age, geography and Sociodemographic Index (SDI) score, the latter being a composite measure comprising income per capita, education and fertility rate. The main outcomes were age-standardized and age-specific prevalence and YLD rates; leading causes; risk-factor–attributable YLDs; and temporal patterns by estimated annual percentage change.In 2021, women had a 27.1% higher prevalence of blindness and vision loss compared with men and a 17.2% higher YLD rate, underscoring the functional impact of vision impairment on daily life. Age-standardized prevalence reached 14,511 per 100,000 women, while age-standardized YLDs were 17,011 per 100,000.Data showed that low- and middle-SDI regions accounted for the highest prevalence and disability rates, highlighting persistent inequities in access to eye care. Women aged 70 and older carried the greatest disability burden. Across regions, the leading causes of vision loss in women were near vision loss, cataract and refractive disorders. From a public health perspective, this finding reinforces the role of optometrists in addressing modifiable contributors through routine exams, refractive correction and early referral for surgical care. Risk-factor analysis identified air pollution, high body mass index and household air pollution from solid fuels as major contributors to vision-related disability in women. For optometrists, the study emphasizes the need for eyecare strategies specific to this patient population, particularly for older women and those in underserved communities, as well as a global health issue to address in public policy venues. Expanding access to refractive services, cataract care and preventive eye exams could substantially reduce avoidable vision loss and disability among women worldwide.Worldwide, women “continue to experience a disproportionate burden of blindness and vision loss, especially in lower-resource settings and older age groups,” the study authors wrote in their AJO paper. “Gender-responsive strategies and expanded access to eye care are urgently needed.”Click here for the journal source. Xia L, Weng W, Wang J, et al. The Right to Women's Sight: Global, Regional, and National Burden of Blindness and Vision Loss in Women, 1990-2021. Am J Ophthalmol. December 15, 2025 [Epub ahead of print]. This article was developed by the editorial staff in conjunction with experts in the field. In the process, AI may have been among the editorial tools used to meet the goals of human editors, who approved all content.