Primary eye care services offered to older adults

PurposeEye care services in long-term care facilities are not optimal and should be improved. In Canada, optometrists are the major providers of primary oculovisual examinations. Our objective was to evaluate the eye care services optometrists offer to older adults, in particular to frail older adults.Materials and methodsA questionnaire regarding older adult patients ≥ 65 years of age was designed and sent to optometrists in active practice throughout Canada. Questions related to the optometrist's personal and practice profiles, the treatment and management of older patients, and gerontology/geriatric education.ResultsThe overall average response rate for the entire country was 31.3%. About a third of all patients examined by optometrists in their office are ≥ 65 years of age. Optometrists examine about 2 to 4 older frail patients weekly in their office. Many optometrists are already examining older frail patients outside the office, and a greater proportion would accept to do so if they were asked, but on an exceptional basis. The main reasons for not seeing patients outside of the office relate to the lack of adequate fees, instrumentation and structural organization.Discussion/conclusionOptometrists examine a large proportion of older patients in their office, but only a small proportion of those are frail older adults. However, some optometrists examine older frail patients outside the office, and more would consider doing so if the working conditions and remuneration were improved. Solutions could therefore be implemented to improve accessibility to eye care services for older frail seniors in their living environment.