Use of Eye Care and Associated Charges Among the Medicare Population

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Abstract
THERE IS a continuing interest in determining the magnitude of ocular diseases and associated conditions within the US population, with estimates frequently based on prevalence data obtained in population-based surveys. While not a substitute for data from such surveys, the demand for ophthalmic services is an indicator of the extent to which ocular-related problems manifest themselves within a community. This demand-based perspective of disease is predicated, however, on the assumption that individuals with significant disease or conditions will eventually seek access to care. Administrative databases that record the provision of ophthalmic services within a geographic area are an efficient source for obtaining this information—with the recognition that asymptomatic conditions will be underrepresented, as will conditions for which screening and treatment costs are not reimbursed by insurance carriers.