Sociodemographic Index

Middle SDI regions recorded the highest absolute case count, with 2,611,142 cases in 2021. A consistent inverse relationship exists between SDI and age-standardised DALY rates: higher SDI correlates with lower age-standardised glaucoma burden. Several countries with relatively higher SDI — including Botswana, Iran, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar — maintained disproportionately high age-standardised DALY rates. The SDI gradient in glaucoma burden is primarily attributable to structural determinants: limited healthcare access, lower educational attainment, and persistent poverty. The authors argue that SDI alone is insufficient for comprehensive assessment and advocate for multidimensional frameworks integrating local epidemiological data, healthcare quality metrics, and geospatial service mapping.