The Potential Cost-Effectiveness of Amblyopia Screening Programs

Rein, David B.; Wittenborn, John S.; Zhang, Xinzhi; Song, Michael S.; Saaddine, Jinan B.

doi:10.3928/01913913-20110823-02

Cited by 29 publications

(38 citation statements)

References 45 publications

(36 reference statements)

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“…Poster presented at: ARVO Annual Meeting, April 27, 2008; Fort Lauderdale, FL). 16 We estimated in-school screening costs by multiplying the grade-level population of each state for each grade identified as a screening target by the estimated per-student screening cost for school-based acuity and stereopsis screening. For preschool screening, we assumed screening would target 3-year-olds with screening rates and costs based on those achieved in 2 preschool screening programs administered by Prevent Blindness America.…”

Section: School Vision Screeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Economic Burden of Vision Loss and Eye Disorders among the United States Population Younger than 40 Years

et al. 2013

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Objective-To estimate the economic burden of vision loss and eye disorders in the United States population younger than 40 years in 2012.Design-Econometric and statistical analysis of survey, commercial claims, and census data. Participants-The United States population younger than 40 years in 2012.Methods-We categorized costs based on consensus guidelines. We estimated medical costs attributable to diagnosed eye-related disorders, undiagnosed vision loss, and medical vision aids using Medical Expenditure Panel Survey and MarketScan data. The prevalence of vision impairment and blindness were estimated using National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. We estimated costs from lost productivity using Survey of Income and Program Participation. We estimated costs of informal care, low vision aids, special education, school screening, government spending, and transfer payments based on published estimates and federal budgets. We estimated quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) lost based on published utility values. Main Outcome Measures-Costs and QALYs lost in 2012.Results-The economic burden of vision loss and eye disorders among the United States population younger than 40 years was $27.5 billion in 2012 (95% confidence interval, $21.5-$37.2 billion), including $5.9 billion for children and $21.6 billion for adults 18 to 39 years of age. Direct costs were $14.5 billion, including $7.3 billion in medical costs for diagnosed disorders, Correspondence: John S. Wittenborn, BS, National Opinion Research Center, University of Chicago, 1981 Grace Point Road, Morrisville, NC 27560. wittenborn-john@norc.org; JohnSWittenborn@gmail.com. * A complete listing of the Vision Cost-effectiveness Study Group is available at http://aaojournal.org. * Group members listed online in Appendix 1 (available at http://aaojournal.org). Financial Disclosure(s):The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article. HHS Public Access Author Manuscript Author ManuscriptAuthor ManuscriptAuthor Manuscript $4.9 billion in refraction correction, $0.5 billion in medical costs for undiagnosed vision loss, and $1.8 billion in other direct costs. Indirect costs were $13 billion, primarily because of $12.2 billion in productivity losses. In addition, vision loss cost society 215 000 QALYs.Conclusions-We found a substantial burden resulting from vision loss and eye disorders in the United States population younger than 40 years, a population excluded from previous studies.Monetizing quality-of-life losses at $50 000 per QALY would add $10.8 billion in additional costs, indicating a total economic burden of $38.2 billion. Relative to previously reported estimates for the population 40 years of age and older, more than one third of the total cost of vision loss and eye disorders may be incurred by persons younger than 40 years.Disorders of the eye and resulting vision loss impose a significant burden on the United States, both economically and socially. In addition to medical costs, the debili...

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Section: School Vision Screeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For preschool screening, we assumed screening would target 3-year-olds with screening rates and costs based on those achieved in 2 preschool screening programs administered by Prevent Blindness America. 16 …”

Section: School Vision Screeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Economic Burden of Vision Loss and Eye Disorders among the United States Population Younger than 40 Years

et al. 2013

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“…Photoscreening provides an objective and reliable method to identify young children with visual characteristics that are outside the normal parameters [ 16 , 17 ]. Although follow-up reporting outcomes from children who fail a vision screening examination may be challenging to achieve at high rates, having a mobile vision screening program that uses photoscreening technology in screenings targeting children prior to school entry is an efficient, cost-effective, and noninvasive way to assist in identifying a significant number of children that need to be referred to an eye care specialist [ 13 , 18 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The W.H.E.E.L.S. Preschool Vision Screening Program’s Initial Outcomes for 12,402 Children Screened Using the Plusoptix Photoscreener

Couser

2014

International Scholarly Research Notices

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Objective. To report the results of the W.H.E.E.L.S. Prevent Blindness Mid-Atlantic vision screening program that targets preschoolers using the Plusoptix Photoscreener (Plusoptix Inc., Nuremburg, Germany). Methods. Trained program staff members conducted vision screenings at up to 113 preschool programs in the Richmond metropolitan area for four consecutive years; a cross-sectional analysis was performed. Results and Discussion. From September 2010 to March 2014, 15,075 preschoolers have been offered a free vision screening; 12,402 (82%) have been screened. A total of 3,018 (24%) have failed the screening and were recommended to follow up with an eye care specialist for a comprehensive examination; only 30% reported complying. Significant refractive errors were more frequently the cause for a failed screening. Conclusions. The W.H.E.E.L.S. program has identified a high number of preschoolers with significant amblyopic risk factors that were previously unknown to be present. Undesirably low follow-up reporting outcomes from children who fail a vision screening examination were consistent with other reports. Nevertheless, having a mobile vision screening program that uses photoscreening technology in targeting children prior to school entry is an efficient and cost-effective way to detect vision disorders in a timely manner.

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“…[18][19][20] A review by the UK National Screening Committee in 2013 made no change to screening recommendations (www.screening. nhs.uk/vision-child) (see box).…”

Section: How Does Amblyopia Present?mentioning

confidence: 99%