Otte B, et al. - Researchers ascertained the estimates of self-reported eyeglasses use by older adult Medicare beneficiaries. Findings revealed that based on age, race/ethnicity, educational level, and income, potential sociodemographic disparities in eyeglass use were identified, which call for innovative public policy solutions.

Methods

• In this cross-sectional study, researchers used data from the 2015 US National Health and Aging Trends Study.
• They reviewed nationally representative data from 7497 respondents and applied sample weights so that the data represented 43.9 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older.
• Four groupings of beneficiaries on which the estimates were based were as follows: number who used eyeglasses for distance vision correction and had distance vision impairment, number who did not use eyeglasses for distance vision correction and had distance vision impairment, number who used eyeglasses for near vision correction and had near vision impairment, and number who did not use eyeglasses for near vision correction and had near vision impairment.
• They used the results of this survey and the Medicare enrollment file to estimate the prevalence of self-reported use of glasses.
• They performed data analysis from July 12, 2017, to November 30, 2017.
• As main outcome and measure, they analyzed self-reported use of eyeglasses or contact lenses.

Results

• Data showed that nearly 40.5 million (92.4%; 95% CI, 91.6%-93.1%) of the estimated 43.9 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 years or older in 2015, reported using eyeglasses for either distance or near vision correction.
• Sociodemographics differed between those who reported using eyeglasses.
• Use of eyeglasses was significantly less likely to be reported by individuals who were older, were nonwhite, had lower educational levels, were less affluent, and had prior cataract surgery.
• Findings demonstrated that approximately 27 million beneficiaries (61.7%; 95% CI, 60.3%-63.1%) used eyeglasses for distance vision correction, and approximately 37.2 million beneficiaries (84.8%; 95% CI, 83.8%-85.8%) used eyeglasses for near vision correction.