AAOpt 2025: The Women's Health Special Interest Group to take the stage

Naureen Haroon, OD, MPH, FAAO, founder of the newly formed Women's Health Special Interest Group (WHSIG) for the American Academy of Optometry (AAOpt), discusses her initiative to bring greater focus to women's health issues within eye care. The group's primary aim is to educate the optometric community about why certain eye conditions disproportionately affect women, moving beyond simply acknowledging that women are more likely to experience these conditions to providing comprehensive explanations of the underlying causes.

Haroon emphasizes that while optometry has always recognized gender differences in eye health, the field lacks the dedicated focus found in other healthcare sectors like physical therapy. She points out that women experience continuous hormonal changes throughout their lives - from puberty through pregnancy, postpartum, and menopause - which directly impact their eye health. These hormonal fluctuations make women more susceptible to conditions like dry eye and autoimmune diseases, yet practitioners often don't fully explain the biological mechanisms behind these occurrences.

The WHSIG formation process was straightforward through the AAOpt's existing framework for special interest groups. Haroon's decision to create this group stemmed from her extensive research and writing on women's health topics, recognizing a pattern in her work that warranted dedicated attention. The group aims to fill several educational gaps: providing deeper understanding of why conditions occur more frequently in women, educating all optometrists (regardless of gender) about the complete cycle of hormonal changes women experience, and explaining the biological markers that contribute to these differences. With over 80 members already, the WHSIG has exceeded expectations. Future goals include conducting research, particularly focusing on pregnancy and postpartum periods, organizing educational events, and encouraging practitioners to write articles on women's health topics.

The group will participate in a joint symposium on human trafficking at the upcoming American Academy meeting in Boston, Massachusetts from October 8-11, demonstrating the diverse perspectives within women's health advocacy in eye care.