Understanding Global Patterns in Disease Prevalence and Access to Care: Systemic, Social, Regional, and Economic Determinants of Eye Health

Vision impairment remains one of the most pervasive and yet preventable global health challenges. Despite remarkable progress in diagnostic and therapeutic innovation, over 2.2 billion people are affected by visual impairment or blindness – conditions disproportionately concentrated in socioeconomically disadvantaged and underserved populations. The distribution of these conditions is profoundly uneven, shaped by the systemic, social, regional, and economic determinants of health that influence who has access to quality eye care. Among these, uncorrected refractive errors remain the leading cause of avoidable visual impairment worldwide, followed by cataract, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. These conditions are highly treatable, yet their prevalence highlights persistent inequities in access to affordable and effective interventions.In many low- and middle-income regions, cost remains the single greatest barrier to treatment. Even in high-income countries, gaps persist for underserved communities, rural populations, and uninsured individuals, creating pockets of unmet need within otherwise well-resourced systems. Beyond economics, systemic factors such as healthcare governance, policy prioritization, and integration of vision care within broader primary health frameworks shape how effectively eye health services are delivered. Social determinants such as education, gender, occupation, culture and health literacy further mediate health-seeking behavior and adherence to care. Regional determinants, including urban–rural divides, geographic isolation, environmental conditions, and availability of trained professionals, create additional disparities in service delivery and outcomes. Together, these dimensions interact to form a complex ecosystem that influences both disease prevalence and access to timely, effective treatment.Addressing these inequities requires not only advances in clinical science but also interdisciplinary research that links epidemiology, health economics, and public policy. This Research Topic seeks to bring together a diverse body of evidence exploring how economic forces intersect with systemic, social, and regional contexts to determine disease burden, visual outcomes, and accessibility of care. The collection will emphasize research that illuminates the multifactorial nature of global vision inequities, identifies gaps in current service models, and proposes scalable solutions for health systems operating under resource constraints.We welcome research, reviews, and perspectives addressing, but not limited to, the following areas relevant to the investigation of patterns of eye disease and access to care:• Disease prevalence, incidence, or progression across regions or populations.• Determinants of eye health, including education, income, occupation, gender, disability, race/ethnicity, cultural attitudes, and marginalized or indigenous populations.• Screening, early detection, and prevention programs, including school-based, workplace, and community-level interventions.• Digital and innovative care models such as AI-based screening, mobile clinics, or telehealth platforms improving reach and affordability.• Healthcare infrastructure and system performance, including workforce availability, service coverage, accessibility, referral efficiency, wait times, and supply chain management. • Economic analyses of eye care systems and resource allocation, including cost-effectiveness, cost–utility, affordability and financial protections.• The role of insurance models, universal health coverage, reimbursement systems, and other financing in shaping access to care.• Health-seeking behaviors, adherence to treatment, and the socioeconomic burden of vision loss on individuals and families.• Global health collaborations and capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening regional data collection, training, and research networks.• Ethical, legal, and policy perspectives on equitable access to eye care, emerging technologies, pharmaceuticals, and surgical innovations. With this collection, the editors aim to stimulate collaboration among clinicians, epidemiologists, health economists, and policymakers to generate evidence that can guide cost-effective, inclusive, and resilient eye health systems. Ultimately, this Research Topic aspires to advance the global dialogue on equitable access to vision care, reduce preventable blindness, and promote the principle that sight is a fundamental human right. Topic Editor Professor Pablo De Gracia declares past or present consultancy for Bausch & Lomb, Acufocus, Lenstech, Eminent Ophthalmic Services, and Mark'Ennovy. All other Topic Editors declare no potential conflicts of interest. Topic editors: Pablo De Gracia, Hector Santiago Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79875/understanding-global-patterns-in-disease-prevalence-and-access-to-care-systemic-social-regional-and-economic-determinants-of-eye-health