Does Lack of Vision Insurance Result in Poor Vision?

January 2013 — For many people, yes.

This is according to a study that measured eye care visits and vision impairment among working-age adults.

The researchers used data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey 2008 to compare the likelihood of an eye care visit within the past year with self-reported vision impairment among 27,152 adults aged 40 to 65.

About 40 percent had no vision insurance. Those who did have it were more likely to have had eye care visits. And they were more likely to have no problem with recognizing friends across the street or reading printed materials.

Also, those with or without vision insurance who had had an eye care visit had similarly good distance and closeup vision.

The study was reported online in December 2012 in Archives of Ophthalmology.