Improving Access to Eye Care: A Systematic Review of the Literature.

PURPOSE: The goals were to develop a working and inclusive definition of access to eye care, identify gaps in the current system that preclude access, and highlight recommendations that have been identified in prior studies. This manuscript serves as a narrative summary of the literature. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Health care disparities continue to plague the nation's well-being, and eye care is no exception. Inequities in eye care negatively affect disease processes (i.e., glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy), interventions (surgical treatment, prescription of glasses, referrals), and populations (gender, race and ethnicity, geography, age). METHODS: A systematic review of the existing literature included all study designs, editorials, and opinion pieces and initially yielded nearly 2500 reports. To be included in full-text review, an article had to be US-based, be written in English, and address 1 or more of the key terms "barriers and facilitators to health care," "access," and "disparities in general and sub-specialty eye care." Both patient and health care professional perspectives were included. One hundred ninety-six reports met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: Four key themes regarding access to eye care from both patient and eye care professional perspectives emerged in the literature: (1) barriers and facilitators to access, (2) utilization, (3) compliance and adherence, and (4) recommendations to improve access. Common barriers and facilitators included many factors identified as social determinants of health (i.e., transportation, insurance, language, education). Utilization of eye care was largely attributable to having coverage for eye care, recommendations from primary care professionals, and improved health status. Geographic proximity, age, and lack of transportation surfaced as factors for compliance and adherence. There were a variety of recommendations to improve access to eye care, including improving presence in community health clinics, reimbursement for physicians, and funding of community-based programs such as DRIVE and REACH. CONCLUSIONS: The eye care profession has abundant evidence of the disparities that continue to affect marginalized communities. Improving community-based programs and clinics, addressing social determinants of health, and acknowledging the effects of discrimination and bias on eye care serve as ways to improve equity in this field.

Frequency of oculomotor disorders in adolescents 11 to 17 years of age with concussion, 4 to 12 weeks post injury.

The purpose of the study was to determine the frequency of vision diagnoses after concussion in adolescents and evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of physician-administered screening for detecting convergence and accommodative disorders post-concussion. We enrolled participants 11 to 17 years old, assessed 4 to 12 weeks following a diagnosed concussion. During the initial concussion examination, a sports medicine physician measured the near point of convergence (NPC), monocular accommodative amplitude (AA), and symptoms using the Convergence Insufficiency Symptom Survey (CISS). A comprehensive oculomotor evaluation was performed by an optometrist. One hundred and thirteen adolescents were enrolled, with a mean age of 15.2 years. Seventy-nine of the 113 (70%) participants had at least one oculomotor diagnosis after concussion, with the most common problems being vergence disorders (60%) and accommodative disorders (57%). The most common vergence disorder was convergence insufficiency (35%). Among accommodative disorders, the most common problem was accommodative insufficiency (35%). In all, 47% of the participants had more than one oculomotor diagnosis following concussion. The sensitivity of physician screening using measures of NPC, AA, and CISS for detecting convergence and accommodative insufficiency was 63%, 43%, 48%, respectively. The results of this study provide additional evidence that vision problems are common in adolescents with persistent concussion symptoms in the sub-acute phase 4 to 12 weeks post-concussion, and current physician screening methods using the NPC, AA, or the CISS underperform. Thus, it is prudent that adolescents with post-concussion symptoms lasting more than 4 weeks post injury receive a comprehensive oculomotor examination.

Intense versus standard regimens of intermittent occlusion therapy for unilateral moderate amblyopia in children: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We reported that in our previous study that wearing intermittent occlusion therapy glasses (IO-therapy) for 4 hours (h) was non-inferior to patching for 2 h in 3 to 8-year-old children with amblyopia. We hypothesize that an intense regimen of 12-h IO-therapy per day for 4 weeks could be as effective as the standard regimen of 4-h IO-therapy per day for 12 weeks in treating moderate amblyopia in 3 to 8-year-old children. METHODS/DESIGN: A total of 56 children between 3 and 8 years of age with amblyopia in association with anisometropia and/or strabismus will be enrolled. All participants will be prescribed IO-therapy glasses (Amblyz™), set at 30-s opaque/transparent intervals (i.e., occluded 50% of wear time). They will be randomized to receive the standard regimen for 12 weeks or the intense regimen for 4 weeks. Adherence to using the IO-therapy glasses will be objectively monitored in each participant by means of a microsensor dose monitor. The primary study objective is to compare the effectiveness of an intense regimen to a standard regimen of IO-therapy in 3 to 8-year-old children with moderate amblyopia. The secondary study objectives are to determine whether adherence differs between an intense regimen and a standard regimen of IO-therapy, and to determine the dose-response relationship of IO-therapy. DISCUSSION: In addition to testing the effectiveness, this study will test for the first time the association between treatment adherence and the visual outcome of IO-therapy, which will enhance our understanding of the dose-response relationship of IO-therapy. If an intense regimen is shown to be effective, it would alter amblyopia treatment strategies and improve visual outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02767856. Registered on 10 May 2016.

Feasibility of monitoring compliance with intermittent occlusion therapy glasses for amblyopia treatment.

BACKGROUND: Liquid crystal glasses use an intermittent occlusion technique and may improve compliance compared to adhesive patches. Previous studies support the effectiveness of intermittent occlusion therapy (IO therapy) glasses for amblyopia treatment. However, objective compliance for these glasses has not been measured. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of using a microsensor to monitor objective compliance with IO therapy glasses. METHODS: Children 3 to ≤8 years of age with unilateral amblyopia were enrolled. All subjects had optimal refractive correction (if needed) for at least 5 weeks without improvement. Subjects were prescribed IO therapy glasses, set at 30-second opaque/transparent intervals (ie, occluded 50% of wear time). Wear time was prescribed according to amblyopia severity. For each patient, objective compliance with the IO therapy glasses was monitored by means of a microsensor. RESULTS: A total of 13 subjects returned with microsensor data. Compliance varied among and within individuals. General compliance averaged 51.6% (range, 10%-97%). Mean daily compliance decreased slightly over time. On average, patients' visual acuity improved 0.14 ± 0.15 logMAR (range, -0.1 to 0.5 logMAR). No parents reported that their child had social concerns related to the attached microsensor. CONCLUSIONS: Objective compliance with IO therapy glasses can be monitored by a simple microsensor reliably. In our study cohort, objective compliance with IO therapy glasses varied among individuals, but on average it declined slightly over time.