Purpose: Barriers to health care present complex challenges to improving eye health in the U.S., yet few studies have quantitatively measured the impact of these barriers. This study investigated the time elapsed since a person's most recent eye examination (TLEE) as a measure of barriers to eye care.
Methods: Participants (N=1699) from mobile clinic vision health screenings completed demographic and subjective visual function questionnaires, and then underwent comprehensive eye exams. Associations between demographics, subjective visual function, and visual acuity were analyzed with respect to TLEE.
Results: Many Hispanic (34.9%) and uninsured (28.6%) participants had no previous eye exam. Although most Caucasians had a previous eye exam, 40.2% did not have an exam in the previous four years. The majority of participants with diabetes were non-compliant with recommendations of annual eye examinations.
Conclusion: These results describe barriers that are specific to subpopulations, providing useful information for efforts to improve eye care access.