Blindness in Women-Gender Difference

Two Third of Blind People Are Women!!!!!

 Yes, Mostly women bear a inconsistent burden of health inequality across the globe and face distinguishing barriers in accessing health care due to a variety of reasons.

Recently I read in article  that “The World Health Organisation (WHO) says out of the total blind population around the world, 64% are girls and women”. BUT WHY THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE in the men and women ration in blindness?

As a blind women and a pioneer in the field of visual impairment I have observed certain factors in India why blindness is found more in women than in men. As this October is “Blind Awareness Month” and spreading the message of “Hope in Sight”, I would like to share some important reasons in the gender variation of blindness in this world pulse platform.

• I can tell CAREGIVING as one of the reason. Yes, most of the women in India are caretakers of their own family.  Mostly caring for others means self-sacrificing ourselves and putting our own needs aside. This includes needs of health too. So most of the  women give less priority to their eye health. May be it seems less important than caring for their loved ones.


• KIDS CAN MAKE BLIND TOO. Yes, it is true.  Usually toddlers can carry a bug which is called as TRACHOMA which can spread to others and scratch the cornea of the eye. Mostly women in India are likely to take care of the infants and also to stay at home. It is one of the important reasons on how women are at a high risk of blindness.


• The last is LESS ACCESS TO QUALITY EYE CARE. Single mothers and elderly women mostly have less availability to eye care hospitals. May be it can depend on how much they earn and how they are living. So being living in poverty and in remote areas will reduce the chances of proper eye care and hospital visits.

Life of women is completely different when compared with men. It is because of juggling in between the demands of family, kids, jobs, looking after aged parents and so on.

We women all play the role of perfect care giver than men. The reason hidden is we often neglect our SELF CARE than men.

As this is BLIND AWARENESS MONTH lets promise ourselves to care of  our eye and reduce the gender difference in blindness.