The state of low vision care in Ontario
Type of Proposal
Oral Presentation
Proposal
Approximately half a million Canadians live with vision loss significantly impacting their quality of life. The prevalence of vision loss is expected to increase by 30% in the next decade as Canada’s senior patient population continues to rapidly increase.1 This demographic shift is producing a mounting vision loss epidemic and a strain on available resources. Although vision rehabilitation services are available for these patients, limited research has been done to study how these services by ophthalmologists are being provided. In this retrospective population-based study, we analyzed the patterns of provision and utilization of vision rehabilitation services in Ontario between 2009 and 2015. Billing data for low vision services were received from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan Database. Patient demographics (age, sex, geographic distribution, number and type of visits) and service provider information (geographic location, number of years providing services, and number of services per year) were analyzed. The majority of patients that received vision rehabilitation services were females (61%) and over 60 years old (79%). While patient and provider geographic distributions overlapped in the areas with the largest patient populations, many regions lacked services. Over the period analyzed, the majority of patients (71%) made only one vision rehabilitation visit and a small subset of patients (11%) made more than two visits. Nine providers practiced low vision for seven years, while 43 provided services for only one year. In 2015, the most common diagnostic service provided to low vision patients was Optical Coherence Tomography of the retina and the most common therapeutic service was intravitreal for wet age-related macular degeneration. Although low vision services increased between 2009 and 2015, we estimate that 5% or less of patients with low vision accessed these services. There were inequities in ability to access care based on age, sex, and geographic location. Our findings are expected to help inform future healthcare policy decisions, especially as considerations are made to provide for our ageing population. Importantly, there is a significant need to increase number of providers, service locations, and access for patients.
1. CNIB - Fast Facts about Vision Loss. CNIB. http://www.cnib.ca/en/about/media/vision-loss/pages/default.aspx#canadians. Accessed August 26, 2017.
Grand Challenges
Viable, Healthy and Safe Communities
The state of low vision care in Ontario
Approximately half a million Canadians live with vision loss significantly impacting their quality of life. The prevalence of vision loss is expected to increase by 30% in the next decade as Canada’s senior patient population continues to rapidly increase.1 This demographic shift is producing a mounting vision loss epidemic and a strain on available resources. Although vision rehabilitation services are available for these patients, limited research has been done to study how these services by ophthalmologists are being provided. In this retrospective population-based study, we analyzed the patterns of provision and utilization of vision rehabilitation services in Ontario between 2009 and 2015. Billing data for low vision services were received from the Ontario Health Insurance Plan Database. Patient demographics (age, sex, geographic distribution, number and type of visits) and service provider information (geographic location, number of years providing services, and number of services per year) were analyzed. The majority of patients that received vision rehabilitation services were females (61%) and over 60 years old (79%). While patient and provider geographic distributions overlapped in the areas with the largest patient populations, many regions lacked services. Over the period analyzed, the majority of patients (71%) made only one vision rehabilitation visit and a small subset of patients (11%) made more than two visits. Nine providers practiced low vision for seven years, while 43 provided services for only one year. In 2015, the most common diagnostic service provided to low vision patients was Optical Coherence Tomography of the retina and the most common therapeutic service was intravitreal for wet age-related macular degeneration. Although low vision services increased between 2009 and 2015, we estimate that 5% or less of patients with low vision accessed these services. There were inequities in ability to access care based on age, sex, and geographic location. Our findings are expected to help inform future healthcare policy decisions, especially as considerations are made to provide for our ageing population. Importantly, there is a significant need to increase number of providers, service locations, and access for patients.
1. CNIB - Fast Facts about Vision Loss. CNIB. http://www.cnib.ca/en/about/media/vision-loss/pages/default.aspx#canadians. Accessed August 26, 2017.