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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Xinzhi Zhang¹, Edward W. Gregg², Yiling J. Cheng², Ted Thompson², Michael R. Duenas¹, and Jinan B. Saaddine¹. (1) National Vision Program, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, N.E. (K10), Atlanta, GA 30341, 770-488-4877, XZhang4@cdc.gov, (2) Division of Diabetes Translation (K-10), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 4770 Buford Hwy, N.E., Atlanta, GA 30341

BACKGROUND: Poor vision is a major public health problem in the U.S. However, no previous national studies have examined the proportion of poor vision that may be directly modifiable through the simple provision of timely and accurate spectacle prescription. METHOD: We used National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2004 to compare presenting visual acuity (VA before objective refraction) and corrected visual acuity (VA after objective refraction) among 12,259 persons aged 20 and older. Visual acuity was divided into three categories (in the better seeing eye): 1) normal: VA >= 20/40; 2) mild impairment: 20/200 < VA < 20/40; 3) severe impairment: VA <=20/200. All analyses were weighted to adjust for the complex sample design and to make estimates representative of the U.S. civilian non-institutionalized population. RESULTS: Approximately 5.4% (95%CI: 5.0%-5.8%) of U.S. population have mild impairment, and 0.9% (95%CI: 0.7%-1.1%) have severe impairment before objective refraction. 71% of mild impairment and 53% of severe impairment were corrected after objective refraction. Among those, 74% and 78% of impairment (including mild and severe impairment) were corrected for non-Hispanic black and Mexican American after objective refraction, respectively, compared to 64% for non-Hispanic white. Corrected percentage was higher in the younger population than in the older population. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that a large proportion of U.S. population improved their presenting vision by simple accurate refraction. Public health policy needs to be developed to increase access to eye care, allocate scarce resources to achieve a population with healthy vision in the U.S.

Learning Objectives:

• Our study will help participants by
• • Demonstrating the need to improve vision and eye health in the U.S.
• • Providing evidence for public health policy and decision making in achieving a population with healthy vision

Keywords: Vision Care, Access to Health Care

Related Web page: www.cdc.gov/nchs/nhanes.htm

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No