womens eye health

Women+and+Eye+Disease+2006%0d%0a%0d%0aPresentation+prepared+by%3a%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cBlindness+and+visual+impairment%0d%0aWorld-wide%2c+2%2f3rds+of+all+blind+or+visually+impaired+persons+are+women.%0d%0a%0d%0a3%2f4ths+of+all+blindness+and+visual+impairment+is+either+preventable+or+treatable.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cEvidence%0d%0aIn+2001%2c+a+meta-analysis+of+over+70+population-based+studies+reported+that+two-thirds+of+all+blind+and+visually-impaired+persons+throughout+the+world%2c+are+women.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cFindings%0d%0aAge-adjusted+odds+ratio+of+blindness+in+women+compared+to+men%0d%0a%e2%80%93+Africa+%e2%80%93+Asia+%e2%80%93+Industrialized+%e2%80%93+Overall+1.39+(1.2-1.6)+1.41+(1.3-1.6)+1.63+(1.3-2.1)+1.43+(1.3-1.5)%0d%0a%0d%0aAbou-Gareeb+et+al.+Gender+and+blindness%3a+a+meta-analysis+of+populationbased+prevalence+surveys.+Ophthal+Epidem.+2001%3b8%3a39-56.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cUSA%0d%0aIn+the+US+%e2%80%93+Over+1+million+legally+blind+people%2c+including+over+700%2c000+women+%e2%80%93+Over+3.4+million+Americans+suffering+from+visual+impairment%2c+about+2.3+million+are+women%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cVision+problems+in+US%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+US+Census+population%0d%0a%e2%80%93+Female+63%2c704%2c939+%e2%80%93+Male+55%2c681%2c313%0d%0a%0d%0aUS+Prevalence+in+2000+%e2%80%a2+AMD+with+vision+loss%0d%0a%e2%80%93+1.8+million%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Blindness%0d%0a%e2%80%93+Female+712%2c171+%e2%80%93+Male+334%2c748%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Glaucoma%0d%0a%e2%80%93+2.2+million%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Diabetic+Retinopathy%0d%0a%e2%80%93+4.2+million%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Visual+impairment%0d%0a%e2%80%93+Female+2%2c253%2c866+%e2%80%93+Male+1%2c152%2c413%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Cataract%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%93+20.5+million+Number+of+Americans+with+age-related+eye+disease+and+vision+impairment+will+double+in+next+3+decades%0d%0awww.usvisionproblems.org+and+www.nei.nih.gov%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cReasons+for+Gender+Disparity%0d%0aWorldwide+rates+of+blindness+and+visual+impairment+are+higher+in+women+in+most+age+groups.%0d%0a%0d%0aIn+industrial+countries+there+is+longer+life+expectancy+in+women%2c+and+blindness+and+visual+impairment+increases+with+age.%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cGender+Disparity+-+Worldwide%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Higher+incidence+of+cataract+and+trichiasis+in+women+%e2%80%a2+Some+eye+diseases+are+intrinsically+more+prevalent+in+women+%e2%80%a2+In+some+countries%2c+women+do+not+have+equal+access+to+eye+care+information+and+services%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cGender+Disparity+Industrialized+Countries%0d%0aVision-altering+and+sight-threatening+eye+diseases+more+common+in+women+%e2%80%93+dry-eye+syndrome+%e2%80%93+rheumatoid+diseases+%e2%80%93+certain+forms+of+cataract+%e2%80%93+age-related+conditions+1.+macular+degeneration+2.+cataract%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cPrevention%0d%0aAge-related+chronic+diseases%2c+such+as+CVD+and+cancer%2c+and+age-related+causes+of+blindness%2c+such+as+cataract+and+AMD%2c+share+a+number+of+modifiable+risk+factors%3a+smoking+diabetes+physical+inactivity+obesity+hypertension+hormones+poor+nutrition%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cPoor+Vision+is+Bad+for+you%0d%0aVisual+impairment+significantly+reduces+1.+The+quality+and+length+of+life+2.+Independent+living+3.+Healthy+aging%0d%0a%0d%0aConsequences+of+Visual+Impairment%3a%0d%0aIncreased+social+isolation+Increased+morbidity%0d%0a%0d%0aPoor+vision+is+much+more+common+than+realized%0d%0aHalf+of+vision+impairment+is+correctable+and%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cWEHTF+Activities%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Public+education+outreach+through+print+and+radio+media%0d%0a%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Materials+development+for+Lions+Eye+Health+Program+(LEHP)+program+and+for+doctors%e2%80%99+offices%0d%0a%e2%80%a2+Partnerships+with+The+Harvard+Medical+COE+in+Women%e2%80%99s+Health%2c+other+women%e2%80%99s+health+organizations+and+organizations+that+advocate+for+eye+health+%e2%80%a2+Symposia+at+national+and+other+meetings+such+as+the+international+symposium+on+Nov+7th%2c+2003%3a+%e2%80%9cImproving+Women%e2%80%99s+Eye+Health%3a+Strategies+to+address+the+greater+burden+of+blindness+among+women%e2%80%9d%0d%0a%0d%0a%0cInformation+on+Women%e2%80%99s+Eye+Health%0d%0a%0d%0awww.womenseyehealth.org%0d%0a%0d%0a%0c