Details:

Alternative Title:
Ophthalmology
Personal Author:
Wittenborn, John S. ; Zhang, Xinzhi ; Feagan, Charles W. ; Crouse, Wesley L. ; Shrestha, Sundar ; ... More +
Wittenborn, John S. ; Zhang, Xinzhi ; Feagan, Charles W. ; Crouse, Wesley L. ; Shrestha, Sundar ; Kemper, Alex R. ; Hoerger, Thomas J. ; Saaddine, Jinan B. Less -
Corporate Authors:
for the Vision Cost-Effectiveness Study Group*
Description:
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, $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.


Subject:
[+]
Adolescent
Adult
Blindness
Caregivers
Child
Child, Preschool
Cost Of Illness
Data Interpretation, Statistical
Education, Special
Eye Diseases
Health Care Costs
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Models, Econometric
Prevalence
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
Quality Of Life
Sensory Aids
Vision, Low
Young Adult

Source:
Ophthalmology. 120(9):1728-1735.
Pubmed ID:
23631946
Pubmed Central ID:
PMC5304763
Document Type:
Journal Article
Funding:
CC999999/Intramural CDC HHS/United States
Place as Subject:
United States
Collection(s):
CDC Public Access
Main Document Checksum:
[+]
urn:sha256:506bbc40c1e4cdb8b2cc81289e88fc0c2c9e50cb62ab771b4d0ed5fea7ae2480
File Type:

Supporting Files

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