Despite an increase in the number of women ophthalmologists over the past 3 decades, a systematic review evaluating their experiences identified disparities at all career stages. More women in the field has not led to an increase in representation in leadership positions.

“These results suggest the need for active interventions to address sex disparities in ophthalmology to improve equity,” wrote Nikki Rousta, MD, and colleagues from the University of Toronto in JAMA Ophthalmology.

The systematic review of women’s experiences in ophthalmology in high-income countries included 91 studies. In medical school, mentorship and recruitment of women was influenced by sex bias; in residency, women had unequal learning opportunities; and in practice, women ophthalmologists had lower incomes, less academic success, and poorer representation in leadership roles. Sexual harassment of women, from both patients and colleagues, was pervasive throughout all stages of training and practice, the analysis found.