A program offering free eye care services in areas with healthcare disparities could improve the detection of eye disease detection and treatment, according to a study published Aug. 22 in JAMA Ophthalmology.
The 1,151 participants had not had an eye exam in two or more years. Of those participants, 21% screened positive for glaucoma, 20% for cataracts, 6% for diabetic retinopathy and 1% for age-related macular degeneration.
Risk factors were also present in participants in the screening program who had not had an eye exam in two or more years. Twenty-three percent were 65 and older, 33% self-reported diabetes, 25% reported a family history of glaucoma, 3% self-reported glaucoma and 33% were Black and older than 50.
Researcher Paula Anne Newman-Casey, MD, of the W.K Kellogg Eye Center at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, told MedPage Today the program helps patients whose low income status may make it more difficult to access regular eye care.
"Medical insurance does not always pay for glasses, making them often unaffordable for people with low incomes," she said. "This is likely why uncorrected refractive error remains the leading cause of visual impairment in the United States."