The future of eye health needs more women leading it

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.

The leadership gap

India offers a telling example. A nationwide survey of women ophthalmologists published in the Indian Journal of Ophthalmology found that only 7.4% of respondents were heads of department. Nearly 79.5% reported that motherhood had temporarily interrupted their careers, while 49% felt career breaks affected their clinical or surgical skill development.

These findings point to a progression problem rather than an entry problem. Women may complete specialist training and build strong clinical careers, yet advancement can become harder when opportunities for surgical volume, fellowships, research, professional networks and institutional leadership are unevenly distributed. A career break should not become a permanent penalty, nor should leadership depend on informal access to influential networks.

Mentorship is not enough

Mentorship can help women navigate these barriers, but advice alone cannot close the leadership gap. Women also need sponsorship: senior professionals who actively recommend them for leadership roles, research collaborations, speaking opportunities, committees and other platforms where careers advance.

This distinction matters. A mentor can help a young ophthalmologist prepare for a leadership opportunity; a sponsor can ensure she is considered for it. Programmes such as Women Leaders in Eye Health have recognised this need through professional development opportunities, networking, leadership activities and platforms that amplify women’s expertise.

Technology can also help women maintain professional development when conventional training is difficult to access. Flexible digital learning and blended fellowship models have been used to address barriers faced by caregivers.

Institutions must change

The responsibility cannot rest entirely on women to adapt to systems that were not designed around the realities of their careers. Hospitals and academic institutions need transparent promotion criteria, equitable access to surgical opportunities and research funding, meaningful representation on committees and boards, and leadership pathways that account for career interruptions without diminishing professional potential.

Community models led by women have demonstrated what changes when women are given responsibility and authority, not simply participation. But the same principle must extend upward through the profession, from community eye care to hospital departments, academic institutions and policy tables.

The future of eye health will depend on how effectively the profession retains and advances the women already entering it. Gender equity should therefore not be measured only by how many women become ophthalmologists, but by how many are empowered to lead.

(Kathleen Sherwin is president & CEO, Orbis International, a global non-profit organization dedicated to fighting avoidable blindness & Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, country director, Orbis India. rishiraj.borah@orbis.org)