Inconsistencies Exist in National Estimates of Eye Care Services Utilization in the United States

Table 1

Weighted number and percentage of adults aged 18 and older utilizing eye care services and weighted number of eye care visits in the United States stratified by nationally representative database.

	Weighted number of adults	Weighted number of visits	Weighted percent of adults visiting an eye care professional
Seeing or talking with any eye doctor in any setting in 12 months:
2012 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS)^1	87,850,196	N/A	38.0
2004 Joint Canada/US Survey of Health (JCUSH)^2	99,472,902	142,634,037	48.3
Number of adults visiting an office-based optometrist in 12 months (ophthalmologists are excluded):
2012 MEPS^3	14,556,138	17,183,610	6.1
Number of adults visiting an office-based ophthalmologist in 12 months (optometrists are excluded):
2012 MEPS^4	30,434,241	55,756,866	12.8
2010 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS)^5	N/A	50,346,592	N/A
Having a dilated eye exam in 12 months:
2008 NHIS^6	89,335,468	N/A	40.4

NHIS respondents were asked, “During the past 12 months, have you seen or talked to any of the following health care providers about your own health? … An optometrist, ophthalmologist, or eye doctor (someone who prescribes eyeglasses).” Possible responses included “Yes,” “No,” “Refused,” and “Don’t know.” This question was only asked to adults aged 18 and over.
²2004 is the most recent survey year. JCUSH surveyed adults aged 18 and over by telephone. JCUSH respondents were asked, “In the past 12 months, how many times have you seen or talked with the following health care providers about your own health? … An eye doctor including other people that prescribe lenses (such as an ophthalmologist or optometrist)?” Possible responses included a numerical response, “Refused,” and “Don’t know.” Estimates in Table 2 were restricted to US residents only.
³MEPS respondents were asked about any medical events and corresponding medical care visits occurring in the prior 12 months. For each office-based medical care visit, respondents were also asked “What type of medical person did you talk to on Visit Date?” Possible responses included “optometrist” in addition to other specialties. In addition, MEPS supplements self-reported data on medical care utilization with surveys of respondents’ medical providers (MD or DO). The Medical Provider component of MEPS provides detailed information on ophthalmology services.
⁴MEPS supplements self-reported data on medical care utilization with surveys of respondents’ medical providers. The Medical Provider component of MEPS provides detailed information on ophthalmology services.
⁵2010 is the most recent survey year. NAMCS is a national survey of office-based physicians who are nonfederally employed and engaged primarily in patient care activities.
⁶Respondents were asked, “When was the last time you had an eye exam in which the pupils were dilated? This would have made you temporarily sensitive to bright light.” Possible responses included “Less than one month”, “1–12 months”, “13–24 months”, “More than 2 years”, “Never”, “Refused”, “Don’t know”.