The future of eye health needs more women leading it
The article argues that while more women are entering ophthalmology, they face significant barriers to reaching leadership roles. It suggests that mentorship and active sponsorship are necessary to address the gender gap in medical leadership.
Why it matters
Addressing gender inequality in medical leadership is essential for creating more inclusive healthcare systems and improving patient outcomes.
Women are entering ophthalmology in greater numbers, yet still remain under-represented in senior leadership, academic and decision-making roles. Why does this matter? Globally, women account for 55% of the 1.1 billion people living with vision loss, meaning 112 million more women than men live with vision loss, including blindness. Yet women represent only 25–30% of ophthalmologists and 35–45% of professionals-in-training worldwide. The gap is therefore not simply about getting women into ophthalmology: it is about ensuring that those who enter the profession can progress into positions where they lead departments, research, training, policy and institutions, in order to create greater representation that brings a wider range of perspectives to how eye-care systems are designed, delivered and governed .
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