Versant Health last week released the results of the 2nd annual Vision Wellness Study, which found Americans, in particular young adults under 40, are showing a new interest in the use of virtual technology and telemedicine for eyecare.

The Vision Wellness Study surveyed consumers and health plan executives on their perceptions of eyecare in a pandemic environment, including the value they place on eyecare services and their beliefs about the impact of eyecare on overall health.

Almost three quarters (74 percent) of respondents under 40 say having access to technology and tools for virtual visits would make them more likely to schedule a routine eye exam, compared to 67 percent of all respondents. More than one third (38 percent) of people under 40 say that being able to communicate remotely with eye doctors would have a high impact on seeing an eye doctor more often, compared to 34 percent of people ages 40 to 59 and just 15 percent of people ages 60 and over. Health plan executives also see the value of telemedicine—76 percent of those surveyed believe members' use of alternatives to face-to-face contact with eye doctors will increase substantially or somewhat as a result of the pandemic.

"With COVID-19 as the backdrop, patients are showing an increased desire for convenient and easily-accessible eyecare using remote technology," said Dr. Mark Ruchman, chief medical officer at Versant Health. "As we look to the future of eyecare, ocular telemedicine will play an important role in improving access to care, as patients are provided more ways to address their eye health on their own terms."

Perceptions of Eyecare Value vs. Costs
Overall, Americans are increasingly recognizing the importance of eyecare, with 81 percent of respondents receiving an eye exam in the past two years, compared to 77 percent who said the same in the inaugural study. For all respondents, including those who have not seen an eye doctor in the past two years, the ability to identify eye diseases and the ability to identify other serious health conditions, such as diabetes, ranked as the top two services that would make them more likely to schedule an eye doctor appointment, supporting the role of eye health as a window into overall health.

Of people who have not received an eye exam in the past two years, 37 percent say it's due to cost and affordability, pointing to a need to dispel misconceptions about the costs of eyecare.

"Members are realizing that comprehensive eye exams can provide a clearer picture of their overall health," said Elizabeth Klunk, RN, BSN, CCM-R, senior vice president of Medical Management at Versant Health. "In fact, eye exams are one of the lowest cost and least invasive methods at looking at whole body health for early disease detection."

The Social Determinants of Eye Health
Despite the low cost of eyecare, barriers to access persist, particularly for people in lower income households—81 percent of all respondents say they have received an eye exam in the past two years, but only 68 percent of people in households with incomes under $35,000 say the same. When it comes to insurance, 69 percent of respondents say someone in their household has vision insurance, and that drops to 61 percent for people with incomes under $35,000.

While 43 percent of people with incomes under $35,000 say affordability is the reason why they don't go to the eye doctor as often as they'd like, health plan executives say transportation is the key obstacle for members' access to eyecare services (88 percent), highlighting a disconnect. Where health plan executives are concerned about physically getting members to eye doctors' offices, members are more concerned with the costs of care.

"The future of eyecare requires us to implement tools that can increase access to care for all patient populations, especially those who are more likely to face systemic barriers. During this pandemic, the rapid advancement of technology has helped us to better meet the needs of vulnerable populations, and we are committed to continuing to explore how it makes healthy sight more accessible," said Klunk.