Abstract
Purpose :
To describe gender representation at eight national ophthalmology conferences, stratified by role, session category, and sub-specialty.
Methods :
Design: Retrospective cross-sectional study.
Study Population: 3,053 presenters at the 2019 American Academy of Ophthalmology subspecialty days, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, American Glaucoma Society, American Society of Retina Specialists, American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus, North American Neuro-Ophthalmology Society, and American Uveitis Society meetings.
Main Outcome Measures: Gender of presenters in seven sub-specialties stratified by category and role.
Results :
The proportion of female presenters was lower than the ABO-estimated proportion of women in their respective fields in cornea (24.4% vs. expected 26.0%), glaucoma (28.0% vs. 39.8%), neuro-ophthalmology (35.6% vs. 45.3%), and pediatrics (41.9% vs. 53.3%) and greater than expected in oculoplastics (36.7% vs. 34.7%), retina (24.3% vs. 19.8%), and uveitis (59.1% vs. 49.1%). For clinical sub-specialty sessions, the proportion of female leaders exceeded the overall proportion of female leaders in the respective sub-specialty in cornea (35.1%, 95% CI: [30.3%, 40.1%] vs. 24.4% all sessions), glaucoma (38.5% [29.6%, 48.1%] vs. 28.0%), pediatrics (63.9% [55.4%, 71.6%] vs. 41.9%), and uveitis (74.2% [56.2%, 86.5%] vs. 59.1%). Females represented fewer than the expected number leaders of surgical sessions in cornea (21.6% [19.6%, 23.9%] vs. 24.4%), glaucoma (18.0% [13.1%, 24.1%] vs. 28.0%), oculoplastics (35.2% [26.7%, 44.8%] vs. 36.7%), pediatrics (22.0% [14.3%, 32.2%] vs. 41.9%), retina (17.7% [13.3%, 23.1%] vs. 24.3%), and uveitis (40% [10.0%, 80.0%] vs. 59.1%). These findings were not statistically significant for retina or uveitis.
Conclusions :
Gender representation varied, with fewer than expected female presenters in cornea, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, and pediatrics. Females led relatively more clinical sessions, but were vastly underrepresented in surgical sessions, in all sub-specialties.
This abstract was presented at the 2022 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Denver, CO, May 1-4, 2022, and virtually.