Impact of eyewear insurance coverage on utilization of eyecare providers in Ontario, Canada

To obtain prescription eyewear in Ontario, eye exams must be performed by optometrists or ophthalmologists (eye care providers [ECPs]). In 2004, government-insured routine eye exams were delisted for Ontarians aged 20-64 leaving eye exam coverage only for those aged ≤19 and 65+. We assessed whether having eyewear insurance impacts Ontarians' utilization of ECPs.

Cross-sectional survey.

Ontarians aged 12+ without diabetes responding to the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2003, 2005, and 2013/2014.

We compared the utilization of ECPs by eyewear insurance status and eligibility for government-funded eye exams. Individuals with eyewear insurance funded by employers, government or privately were considered to have insurance.

ECP utilization was significantly higher in Ontarians with eyewear insurance versus those without, in all survey years and all age groups, including those eligible for government-funded eye exams (e.g., 66.4% vs 59.1% [p < 0.05] for the 65+). This higher level of utilization was particularly evident among Ontarians aged 20-64 in 2013/2014, when this group no longer had government-funded eye exams (34.9% vs 19.9% among 20-39-year-olds, 43.4% vs 32.9% among 40-64-year-olds, p < 0.05 for both). Adjusting for confounding effects, the likelihood of visiting an ECP was greater among Ontarians with eyewear insurance than those without (adjusted prevalence ratio 1.26 for Ontarians aged 12+ and 1.41 for those aged 20-64; p < 0.05 for both).

Lack of eyewear insurance negatively impacts the utilization of ECPs, even among Ontarians eligible for government-funded eye exams, where the cost barrier for eye exams has been removed by the Ontario government.