STATE OF LOW VISION TODAY

BY MICHAEL R. POLITZER, OD, FAAO, FCOVD

Despite the aging population, only a third of eyecare professionals recently surveyed offer any low vision services in their practices. That is the conclusion of an online survey of 950 practices that was commissioned by The Vision Council's Low Vision Division and conducted this summer.

Respondents included all three Os: 55 percent were classified as independent optometric practices, 15 percent were independent ophthalmology practices, and 10 percent referred to themselves as opticians, or as affiliated with a national chain, superstore, or multi-disciplinary practice. The majority—six out of 10 respondents—indicate they work in a practice or organization with only one location.

The just-released results of the survey found that:

• SERVICES/THERAPY: A little more than one-third of the practices provide any type of low vision service or therapy to their patients.

• EXAMS: Less than one-quarter of all respondents conduct low vision exams.

• PRODUCTS: Only 22.9 percent offer low vision products to patients.

• TRAINING: Just 4.1 percent (mostly ophthalmologists in independent practice) offer daily living skills training.

WHY OFFER SERVICES

Of the 39 percent of practices surveyed that do offer low vision services to their patients, the most frequently cited reason for entering the field is professional responsibility. The second answer most frequently given is patient demand, and the third is to differentiate and expand their scope of practice. Other reasons cited were practice tradition, increased revenue potential, desire to help patients, and access to trained professionals on staff.

According to the survey, practices in the Midwest are more likely to offer services than operations in other parts of the country.

WHY SOME DON'T

Optician-owned businesses with multiple locations, small optometric practices with only one location, and practices in the Southeast region of the U.S. are more likely than other practices surveyed to offer absolutely no low vision-related services. About one-fifth of all surveyed practices only refer patients to low vision practices in the area. Again, it is primarily smaller practices—those with only one location—that offer referral services.

In all, nearly 600 of the practices surveyed do not offer low vision services. Their reasons include:

• CASE LOAD: Most practices that currently don't offer low vision care (54 percent) say the main reason is that their current patients do not require low vision services.

• EDUCATION: The second reason most frequently cited is lack of technical staff to offer those services.

• TIME: Another 21 percent report perceived lack of time as the reason they don't offer low vision services or products.

In addition to the three reasons detailed above, there are several other factors inhibiting respondents from offering low vision services to their patients. These include: lack of training for the doctor, lack of profitability in low vision products, the presence of other low vision providers in the area, and a feeling that some low vision patients can be too demanding.

MOTIVATING FACTORS

On the positive side, the survey uncovered a variety of motivating factors that practices surveyed say could lead them to offer low vision services:

• PATIENT DEMAND: For a large portion (48.6 percent) of non-low vision practices, increased patient demand would motivate them to begin delivering low vision products and services.

• REIMBURSEMENT AND TRAINING: These two reasons—better reimbursement and further training for technical staff—are each cited by 28 percent of respondents as what could get them to enter the field. Training for technical staff is seen as a more important motivator for ophthalmologists and respondents from independent ophthalmology practices, while better reimbursement is relatively more important among optometrists, practice owners, and practices with two to five locations.

Time, additional technical staff, more training for doctors, and more office space are other factors and situations that could motivate practitioners to offer low vision products and services to their patients.

These strong motivating factors are beginning to turn more practices toward low vision. As the population ages—and as eyecare professionals see more and more of their patients suffering from conditions like age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy—there's no question that the number of providers offering low vision will, and must, increase.

To order a copy of this survey, contact Vision Council research analyst Craig Edmund at cedmund@thevisioncouncil.org.